Restarting Our Love
by SweetsPrincess-Sama
Summary: She was just an orphan and he was just a boy from a fairytale. Two worlds, two realms, that had never transcended. Until an abandoned girl with no hope, chooses to believe in magic. But what she finds may be too much to take in . It's too late to go back now.
1. PROLOGUE

Restarting Our Love

Prologue

 _"You know what the issue is with this world? Everyone wants a magical solution for their problem, and everyone refuses to believe in magic." ~ Jefferson, OUAT_

A lonely white fox for a friend and an old story book covered in dust. That was about the extent of what she had on her own terms. There was a saying one of the boys in her last orphanage had said repeatedly to her; _Every theory is correct unless proven otherwise by the weight and righteousness of facts._ Which to her young mind at the time only meant one thing. Maybe magic could be real. But she was always shot down by the girls at her new orphanage about how stupid and silly she was being, even though she had aged five years since then.

 _"You're so stupid Sakura. Magic isn't real. Everyone knows that."_

 _"Go live in the gutter where you belong."_

 _"No wonder you were abandoned. You're a freak."_ So she took their advice and ran, sneaking out of the orphanage at midnight. She'd ended up behind a bank building in the alleyway. She had no money, no food, no hope, nothing.

"Hood," She murmured, stroking the soft white fox that lay in her lap. "I'll be alright, won't I?" Hood said nothing, just looked up at her with beady black eyes. All she saw was a reflection of herself, the tears bubbling in her eyes. She wiped hastily at her eyes and picked up the fairy tale book she'd taken with her. It was something she'd had since she could remember, and she'd never been able to open it. There was no lock that required a key, no seal or glue or anything. It just wouldn't open. So tonight she prayed that it would. "Please." She sobbed quietly and the book clicked open, much to her surprise. A bright white light burst from the book and enveloped both her and Hood. "Eh!" She shrieked.

 _"This is your chance, Sakura Mikan. Spend it wisely, choose only what you need, don't be greedy."_


	2. CHAPTER 1: HOWLING HOLLOWS

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 1: Howling Hollows

A small ripple, a disturbance in their world. He looked up briefly, his eyes narrowing before a voice broke through his concentration.

"Your highness, your highness, what an awfully long time it's been." The dreadful sarcasm in the male's voice stopped him from turning around. He knew all too well who it was; a damned nuisance. "Oh? How rude you are, _Hyuuga-kun_ ," The voice laughed. "Didn't you miss me?"

"I missed the silence." Natsume bit back steadily, closing his eyes and inhaling the scent of the changed wind.

"Odd smell, is it not?" The dark blue haired male came to stand beside Natsume on the balcony and looked up at the stars. "Almost tastes like an...,"

"Outworlder." Natsume finished for him. "Jinta, please prepare my bedding. I'll need some time to process my next move." With a nod, Jinta turned and began to rummage through the linen cupboard in the corner of the room. He was straightening out the duvet when a middle aged woman strode into the room.

"What are you to do my boy?" She asked silently, peering at Natsume who turned around at her entrance. She was a majestic looking woman with long black hair that flowed down to her knees, her kimono a pale blue with dragons dancing across the satin, her face as young as it had been so many years ago.

"I'll never be able to do any good in this darkness, mother. I'll wait 'till morning." His mother frowned at him.

"I do hope you have this under control. I needn't remind you of what happened the last time-,"

"Silence!' His loud voice boomed through the room and the woman winced at his tone. Natsume turned back to the city that stretched beyond his balcony. His city. His people. His world. "You may leave." With a pained closing of her eyes, the woman bowed low and left the room.

"You're as harsh as ever my king." Jinta said solemnly. _King._ That wasn't his title to bear. It was no one's.

"Call me king again and I'll slit your throat in your sleep. Do you understand Jinta?" He turned on him sharply. Jinta bowed just a little higher than Natsume's mother had, his mischievous eyes clicking with the young boy's.

"But of course."

* * *

She was blind. That was the first thing she thought when she awoke, still seeing white. But then the whiteness moved. It _moved_. She then realised that she had merely just been resting her face against Hood's fur. Sitting bolt upright, she gasped.

"W-where am I?" She looked around the room. It was rather small and homely with a book case along the left wall. There was a desk in the right hand corner of the room and a table on a beige rug in the middle. Straight in front of her was an open door in which she couldn't make out anything beyond. She looked down and noticed that she and Hood were on a quilted bed, illuminated by the moonlight pooling through a large hole in the roof.

"So you're awake are you dear?" Mikan jumped at the sound of a friendly young woman in the doorway. She had waist long blonde hair and she wore a flowing purple dress that split to reveal her long snow-white legs, a matching pair of purple satin flats on her feet. But the oddest thing of all was that she was wore a purple rimmed black witch hat. She came to sit beside Mikan and smiled at her sudden movement to touch Hood for comfort.

"Who are you?" Mikan asked, watching as her violet eyes sparkled.

"My name is Artemis." She replied smoothly.

"How did I get here?" It was a good thing that Artemis looked like a patient soul. She pointed to the hole in the roof.

"That wasn't here before darling,"

"I-I fell through your roof!? Oh, I'm so sorry for that." Mikan blinked up at the hole she and Hood had made upon their landing. Where on Earth was she? Flashes of the book came back to mind and she flicked her eyes around the room desperately. "Have you per chance seen my book?"

"A book?" Artemis hummed to herself. "I believe this fox is the only thing you brought with you."

"How can that be?" Mikan whispered. She had depended on her book. It was like an anchor to her. "Oh yes, Artemis-san, where am I?"

"Just Artemis is fine," She smiled. "And you're in WitchChester Lane." She said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"W-WitchChester... what?" She watched as Artemis inhaled the air around them.

"Hmm, as I thought, you're not from here. What's your name little one?"

"Mikan. Sakura Mikan."

* * *

"We as the council can not and _will_ _not_ allow the presence of an Outworlder. She will be executed on the spot. That is all. If anyone has any complaints or problems with this, speak now." The leader of the council spoke without hesitation and without fear of having to kill. Amongst the twenty others that stood in the circular room, only one dared to raise his hand. "Tatsuya. You may speak."

"On behalf of both Sayuri and myself," Tatsuya began. "I would like to volunteer. We'll kill the girl."

"That's not fair!" A small girl with pink pigtails screeched from the other side of the room, her partner a mature figured girl in blue denim shorts and a black crop top, her long red hair tied in a high ponytail. "I want her!" Her partner put a hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down Mitsuko. Screaming irrationally isn't going to help us out here." Mitsuko shoved her hand off of her shoulder.

"You don't have to tell me that Yuki." She muttered moodily.

"If pigtails can have her then surely we have a chance here," Another voice spoke. It was a white haired man with razor sharp teeth, his partner a hooded man in a cloak, his eyes covered by his hood, black tattoos scrawled across his face. Though, unlike Yuki, he remained silent at his partner's outburst. "Oh, come on Kouta. At least talk!" He demanded in a crazed voice. Kouta raised his hand.

"I agree with Nabuki." He said roughly, his voice dark and deep.

"Silence! All of you," The council leader boomed. "I, Cross, will decide all matters brought to mind in this council room." His voice had a tone that left for no arguments. Mitsuko pouted next to Yuki and Nabuki's eyes glinted as he licked his sharp canines. He pointed to Nabuki and Kouta. "You two shall go directly for the girl. The rest of you, make use of yourselves in what ever way you can. Mitsuko, don't be rash." And with that, Cross turned and strode out of the room, leaving all his ten leaders and their chiefs alone in the ring.

"You'll regret this Nabuki you freak," Mitsuko hissed. "Come Yuki, we're leaving." The rest of them followed in the two girl's wakes until it was only Nabuki and Kouta left in the room.

"I'm coming Mikan." Kouta murmured under his breath.

"Did you say something?" Nabuki grinned viciously.

"Not a word." And they retreated with hollow footsteps.

* * *

"Artemis, what exactly is WitchChester lane?" Mikan asked as Artemis brought her a glass of frosty blue liquid. Cautiously, Mikan took the glass. "Oh, thank you," She murmured. Artemis laughed at her caution.

"It's just frosted blueberry juice." She explained, which made Mikan release a sigh of relief and take a sip. It was actually rather nice. Artemis sat beside her with her own glass of the odd drink in her hands, watching the young girl that had previously come tumbling through her bedroom roof. "WitchChester lane, huh? Well, it's pretty much what it sounds like. One of the lanes that runs from the main city, a lane filled with anything from blossoming to fully experienced witches." Mikan nearly choked on her drink.

"Witches?" She thought the hat had just been for show. But then again, she thought, that wouldn't have really made sense. "What is this world?"

"Well, I probably can't explain everything, but just know that in this world, witches aren't the scariest things. This world is called Howling Hollows," Artemis explained. _Howling Hollows._ She'd heard of that name before, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Artemis stood and grabbed a book from her bookshelf. She came back to the bed and flipped it open to a page where a picture of a young king stood. "This is who you should be looking out for-," But before she could tell the young girl his name, Mikan spoke up without thinking.

"King Natsume!" Artemis looked down at her, puzzled.

"Yes, that's right. How did you know that?" Mikan's eyes widened and it all hit her at once. This was her story book. _I'm trapped in here_ , she thought to herself, _what do I do?_

"Ah," Mikan stuttered and to her relief, there was a caption at the bottom of the page that read _"King Natsume of Howling Hollows."_ "I, uh, I read the caption." Artemis blinked.

"Oh. That makes sense then," She smiled.

"But why should I stay clear of him? He's just a kid." Mikan wondered aloud and Artemis's face became hard and worried.

"You needn't an explanation. Just promise me that you'll stay away from him Mikan." Mikan nodded slowly.

"O-okay. I promise."

"Good girl," Artemis sounded relieved. "Good girl. Now get some rest."

* * *

Natsume awoke to the rising sun the next morning, an impatient knock sounding at his door.

"Your highness, Council leader Cross wishes to speak with you." One of his maids informed him.

"Let him in." Natsume called, sitting up in his king sized, four poster bed. The door clicked open and Cross entered the room.

"I'm sure you're aware of the intruder, your highness."

"Very."

"Then I'm sure you won't mind that my subjects are doing everything that they can to destroy her." Natsume's eyes burned like flames.

"Stop them. This is my responsibility." Cross bowed low, hiding a murderous smile.

"Unfortunately, your highness, they have already been released. The girl should be dead in a matter of minutes." Natsume practically jumped out of his bed, grabbing Cross's collar.

"Cross you bastard!"

"What will you do, _your highness_? It's your move."


	3. CHAPTER 2: HOOD'S BACKSTORY

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 2: Hood's Backstory

I wasn't always a fox. In fact, my name wasn't always 'Hood' either. That's just what Mikan named me. But I had a life before Mikan came along. A life in her story book world, as one of them.

"Kikuo, get back here!" The young boy, biting back fits of laughter, ran down the streets of Howling Hollows, taking a sharp right down White Rabbit lane as his sister chased him. He sped past the rabbit houses and leapt over one of the younglings that was standing in the middle of the lane.

"Sorry about that Leo!" He called behind him to the young rabbit who waved at him in admiration.

"Watch out Leo!" The young girl swirved past Leo, brushing his arm with her dress as she continued running after Kikuo. White Rabbit lane was situated right next door to WitchChester lane, so that's where Kikuo ran down next. He checked behind him to see where his sister was and found that she was hot on his trail. As he turned his head back around, he collided with someone.

"Oh, Artemis! I'm so sorry!" Kikuo bent down and extended his hand out to the young witch who was dusting off her dress. She took his hand gratefully and smiled up at him.

"Thank you Kikuo." He helped her to her feet and dusted off her shoulders as his sister skidded to a stop beside them.

"Caught you." She huffed, catching her breath. She wasn't as much of a runner as her brother was. And they'd been running across Howling Hollows from the "T" lanes to the "W" lanes; which was a good six kilometres in distance.

"Oh, Shiro! How are you cutie?" Though Artemis was only two years older than Shiro, she was always treating her like she was a whole lot younger. Not that Shiro minded.

"Tired. Kikuo is a handful." She complained.

"Hey, I'm right here you know!" Kikuo snapped. Shiro grinned cheekily at her brother, knowing all too well that he had had the biggest crush on Artemis for years on end. Artemis looked between the two and her eyebrows quirked in amusement and she bit her lip.

"Would you like to come in for tea?" She asked, gesturing towards her front door. Shiro looked over at Kikuo and smirked.

"Sure. Thanks Artemis." She smiled, following her witch friend into her house. Kikuo followed behind the two, closing the wooden door behind them. Her house was always so neat and tidy, the living room bright with the afternoon sunlight and warm with the heat of the fire blazing in the hearth in the corner. As the siblings sat on the couch, Artemis excused herself to go and fetch the tea from the kitchen. Shiro let out a breath and turned to face Kikuo. "Are you alright Kikuo?" She asked and he nodded almost instantly.

"I'm fine."

* * *

After they left Artemis's house, Kikuo was silent, kicking up the pebbles as he walked.

"What is wrong with you?" Shiro asked, walking alongside him. Her brother always got this way around Artemis.

"It's nothing really. I better go see Leo. You head on home. I'll be there soon." Shiro watched him curiously as he turned at the opposite corner and headed back down White Rabbit lane. She shook her head and headed back home. She skipped her way back down to Tree Twirl lane where all the Earth element mages lived happily in their tree houses.

"Hello mother," Shiro called up the tree as she closed the door.

"Hello dear. Is Kikuo with you?" Her mother called back

"He's with Leo mother." She said, climbing up the ladder to the second floor. She found her mother in the kitchen, cooking her famous stew. Her mother was the best cook in all of Howling Hollows, and Shiro wasn't afraid to boast about it. She sniffed the air. "Oh it smells lovely mother. Did you add thyme into this time?" She asked, kissing her mother's cheek.

"Yes, in fact I did," She tapped her daughter's nose. "You're getting good with your senses my girl."

"Mrs Clockwork!" They heard the door open and slam shut and the scurrying of rabbit paws up the ladder. Leo appeared on the second floor and hurried towards Shiro and her mother. "Kikuo he-," Leo stopped to catch his breath and Shiro and Mrs Clockwork looked at each other.

"What's wrong Leo? Where is my son?" Mrs Clockwork asked worriedly. Leo looked up.

"He- he was taken. Just disappeared like that miss," Leo snapped his fingers. "I tried to grab him but he was swept up into the sky." Shiro gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Her precious brother had been swept up into the Outworld. He was gone.

* * *

Kikuo woke up to find himself inside an old building in the arms of a young girl with brown pigtails, her room a small attic.

"Oh! You're awake Hood!" He opened his mouth to speak and realised that he couldn't. Kikuo looked down at himself and saw the white fur covering his paws. "You're such a cute little fox. My name is Mikan, Sakura Mikan. Will you be my friend? I don't have any here." So he was a white fox. He was so desperate to talk, so eager to ask questions. Was this the Outworld? Was she an Outworlder? His mother had always told him that they were deadly but she, well, she looked so kind and young. He decided right then and there that he was never going to leave her. And he never did, not in the five years that he'd known her, and not even now when he'd come back to Howling Hollows. His mother and sister were still out there but they could wait a little longer. His main concern at this point was returning to his natural form and he figured that, out of everyone here in Howling Hollows, his childhood love would be the only one who would understand him. Artemis could turn him back. He just had to find a way to communicate with her. A way to get his feelings across once and for all.


	4. CHAPTER 3: RESCUED BY HIS MAJESTY

Restarting Our Love

 _Hi guys! So I just really need to thank Opal-Wings1002 for giving me the constructive criticism that I very desperately needed. So thanks a bunch! Also, I just want to tell you guys that no matter who you are, whether you write or not, you can constructively criticise my works whenever you feel the need. I just know that if it was me, I would hesitate to criticise someone's work because they put much effort into it, so I'm here to tell you that it's okay and it really does help me and I welcome it entirely. Thanks so much for all your support and I'll see you all very soon ^_^_

 _Xx SweetsPrincess-Sama_

Chapter 3: Rescued By His Majesty The King Of Howling Hollows

Mikan was starting to doubt her casual presence in front of Artemis. There was no mistake that she was a very kind and generous person, just that Mikan had her worries and insecurities. She'd grown up abandoned in a place where bullies roamed free with no consequences. So for her to suddenly meet someone so _nice_ was a very big thing. Maybe it was the initial shock finally working its way into her system that had her so worried and scared all of a sudden. And she wasn't with Hood either, that didn't help. He'd gone wandering around the house and it seemed as if he knew the place inside and out. Though that couldn't be true. She wondered briefly if Artemis might cook her in a cauldron if she said something out of line or got to curious about Howling Hollows. The idea scared her more than she would've liked it too and she found herself feeling unsure about everything. She slipped out of the bed that Artemis had so very kindly made up for her and padded around the wooden house in her bare feet, going down the hallway to stop in front of Artemis's room. She knocked on the door cautiously, for fear that it may burst open and she'd be swept into the darkness of some other world. Though she was very happy to escape her previous life, she had her reasons for believing that maybe she was in fact just dreaming and that it would all end soon. Maybe that was what scared her more, she wasn't really sure.

"Artemis? Are you in there?" Mikan asked quietly.

"I'm in here dear, come on in why don't you." When she pushed open the door she was surprised to find Hood curled up on Artemis's lap. Hood never went near other people. "He really seems to like me, doesn't he?" Artemis smiled, following Mikan's gaze to the sleeping fox. Mikan nodded dumbly.

"I wish he could talk to me." Mikan murmured and a small burst of white light illuminated the room for a moment and Hood was raised into the air, startled out of his sleep, his eyes wide. Mikan and Artemis covered their eyes from the light and when it finally died down, both girls were more than shocked. Before them no longer stood Hood but a boy around Mikan's age, his white hair tousled, his black eyes shimmering as he looked at his human hands, feet and clothing.

"Mikan, you changed me back! How did you do that?" Hood asked and Mikan took a step back slowly.

"H-Hood? Is that you?" Hood nodded. "I-I don't know. What's going on?" She looked over to Artemis who eyes were all but glued to Hood. Her eyes filled with tears and Mikan watched as Hood turned to her and threw his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry Artemis." He murmured into her hair as she sat still, her arms frozen at her sides.

"K-Kikuo? Is it really you?"

"I don't understand," Mikan spoke up, swallowing. "That's Hood, my fox." Hood let Artemis go and walked over to Mikan, brushing his fingers softly through her hair.

"It was only a matter of time before one of you broke the spell. You see, when you found me five years ago, I had just been transported into your world. And I know you're confused and I know that you've had countless doubts about this place and about Artemis. But let me tell you as not the Kikuo of this land but as your best friend Hood that you can trust Artemis with your life. I always have," He turned to smile fondly at Artemis and his hand dropped from Mikan's hair. "You have to trust me Mikan," The front door to Artemis's house blew open in a shattering crack.

" _Artemis!_ " Came a sing-song voice from the entrance of the house. A rather crazed voice if Mikan listened closely. "I know you have the girl!" Artemis jumped up and rushed both Mikan and Kikuo to the closet.

"Use this Kikuo, take Mikan far away from here. I trust you remember how to use it?" Kikuo nodded and grabbed for Artemis's arm before she closed the door completely. Much to his and Mikan's surprise, she pressed her lips to his and swept her hand quickly through his hair. "I believe in you Kikuo. Now go." And with that, she shut the closet door on the both of them. An overwhelmed Mikan and a dazed Kikuo.

* * *

"Should we send all the guards out your highness?" Jinta asked the young boy who was strapping a small dagger in its sheath to his belt. He grabbed his sword and hung it around his small frame, looking up Jinta.

"I can take care of this all on my own. I'll bring the girl here." Jinta watched Natsume as he went for the door.

"Remember your highness, she's an Outworlder." And those were their parting words as Natsume slammed his bedroom door shut and ran out of the palace. Jinta knew nothing about who she really was. He smelled the air to determine where she was and her scent was strong around WitchChester lane.

"Artemis." He thought aloud as he began running across the kingdom's front courtyards and across the draw bridge that led out into the main city. Artemis was the only one that would've taken an Outworlder in, for the sake of Kikuo he supposed, though he couldn't think of how she had found the intruder that quickly. With a swift shake of his head to clear his mind, Natsume weaved through the busy streets of the main city and headed towards WitchChester lane. He followed her scent all the way to Artemis's house where he found the door blown in and Nabuki and Kouta, two of the council members, fighting Artemis in the hallway. "Stop!" He commanded loudly, his voice echoing around the room as the clashing sounds of silver off silver ceased and both parties turned to face their king.

"Your highness," Artemis bowed low and hesitantly, so did the two council members.

"Your highness," Nabuki began in his sickening voice. "This one was hiding the Outworlder."

"I don't know if Cross told you, but I ordered this to cease." Natsume snapped. Kouta remained silent but he dropped his sword and it clattered against the ground.

"Kouta! What are you doing? Pick up your sword, it's Cross's orders. We take orders from him, not this child!" Nabuki hissed, passing Kouta his sword. Kouta took it back without hesitation and nodded.

"Sorry." He really wasn't a man of many words.

"I am not a child!" Natsume seethed through his teeth, drawing his sword. Nabuki let out a psychotic laugh and licked his teeth. "Now get out and stop hunting the girl before I kill you myself!" With a mischievous look at his partner, Nabuki and Kouta vanished and Natsume watched as Artemis, drained of her powers, dropped to her knees. "Where is she?" He asked, not bothering to help her to her feet as he sheathed his sword.

"I don't know. Kikuo took her." Artemis said weakly, popping open a potion bottle and downing the liquid.

"Kikuo? That boy you loved so long ago? Blasphemy, no one comes back to Howling Hollows once they're up there."

"Do not doubt him your highness," Artemis snapped. "He came back with the girl, as a fox."

"So what good is he now then?" Artemis rose to her feet and grinned up at Natsume.

"That girl, she's a lot more powerful than you realise your highness. Even more powerful than you maybe. You'd better watch where you step because I've already warned her about you." Natsume's eyes widened momentarily and then narrowed darkly.

"What did you tell her _Artemis_?" He spoke to her like they had been old friends gone wrong.

"That you weren't everything you claim to be. That you're only the king for one sinister reason. Yes, I believe those were the words. Though, she doesn't know the reason like I do, it was enough to shake her scared whenever your name appeared in a conversation." There seemed to be a battle fire in her violet eyes and Natsume walked right up to her and walked her back until she was against the back wall of her hallway. He poked roughly at her collar bone with his finger.

"You better watch your mouth Artemis, it may well get you killed sooner or later." He disappeared and Artemis let out a sigh.

"What happened to you Natsume?"

* * *

"Quick, through the back door!" Kikuo ushered Mikan through the back door of a tree house.

"Are we allowed in here!?" Mikan hissed quietly, sick of being dragged around without knowing the reason behind it.

"Who's there?" A young voice called and suddenly footsteps could be heard coming down a ladder in the centre of the room. A girl that looked exactly like Kikuo stopped just short of them, her mouth agape. "Kikuo?" She stared wide eyed at Kikuo and took a small step backwards. "H-how?"

"It's a long story Shiro, and right now we don't have the time. Help me get Mikan up to the floor just below the attic. You'll be safe there Mikan." Kikuo explained.

"No, I don't want to be here." Mikan spoke up from beside Kikuo. Both he and the girl looked at her.

"What do you mean Mikan?" Kikuo asked in disbelief.

"I'm saying that whoever those people were, they were after me. Not you. I got you back home so please don't jeopardize that. If it's me they want, then it's me they shall get." She opened the back door and Kikuo caught her arm.

"Mikan, you can't! They'll destroy you!"

"Not on my watch." A dark voice sounded from the open doorway. Suddenly, she was being swept off of her feet, into the arms of a raven haired boy with scorching red eyes.

"Your majesty," Kikuo and Shiro said in unison, bowing down.

"Put. Me. Down!" Mikan protested sharply, hitting against his chest. Royalty or not, he wasn't her king. She didn't have to follow his rules. Natsume glared down at the wriggling girl in his arms.

"You're a rude child aren't you? Anyone with half a brain could see that I'm helping you escape your _death_." He bit back.

"Child? You're probably younger than I am! Just let me go you stingy king!" Mikan hit his chest again as hard as she could but it had no effect. He lifted her up and slung her over his shoulder which just infuriated her more.

"Kikuo, I'm taking this brat off of your hands. Enjoy the time you have with your family. Who knows how long it will last."

"But I vowed to protect her!" Kikuo yelled.

"And now you don't have to. You're job is finished Kikuo. Don't make me take you away again."

"A-Again? What do you mean your majesty?" Shiro piped up from the corner. Natsume shot her a glare.

"I hope your sister keeps her innocence." He scoffed. And with that, he disappeared, taking Mikan along with him.

* * *

Natsume laid a sleeping Mikan down on his bed. The teleporting must have taken it's toll on her already tired body. She had used magic to turn Kikuo back, that he knew for sure. She was pretty good for what she had become. He rubbed his face tiredly with both hands and sat down beside her, stroking his hand through her brown locks.

"I wish you remembered me Mikan. I knew it was you, the second you got here. You've come back home. I'm so glad." But her shallow breathing was the only reply he got. He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. "I missed you so much." He watched her with such love and admiration in his eyes that no one in the palace would have recognised him. "I'll take care of the council members for you Mikan, I promise. But until then, you can't know who you were here so long ago. I'm really sorry Mikan. I love you."


	5. CHAPTER 4: WHEN THEY WERE STILL CLOSE

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 4: When They Were Still Close

I completely lost you Natsume. To the world around us, to the darkness inside of you. When she left, you died inside. And then you broke. Something evil took over you after that. Something that I will kill if it's the last thing I do.

"Artemis? Are you home?" A young Natsume stood at her door, about a hundred years younger then when we last saw him. Time moves in a different way in Howling Hollows than it does in the Outworld. Five years up there is fifty years down here. Which meant that Natsume was about a hundred and fifty. Artemis, his best friend since birth, opened the door and smiled at him.

"Natsume! Come in! I'm afraid Mikan is asleep though. She crashed out on my bed about half an hour ago." Natsume's eyes filled with worry and he made his way down the hallway into Artemis's room where, indeed, his wife lay asleep on top of the bed. He sat beside her and stroked his fingers through her hair. "Should I be worried about her health?" Artemis asked, leaning against the door frame. Natsume looked down at Mikan, her breathing soft, her eyes shut lightly. He shook his head.

"I don't think so. We've always known she was a little on the frail side. She'll pull through, she always does." Mikan stirred under his hand and her eyes fluttered open.

"Natsume?" She whispered gently. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to pick you up. You fell asleep," Her arms were suddenly around his waist, her head buried in his chest.

"I missed you. Please don't go away again." It pained him to see her like this but as the prince of Howling Hollows, it was his duty to go up to the Outworld every now and again to make sure that they weren't going to be a threat to their world any time soon. He swept her hair behind her ear and smiled sadly at her.

"I know honey, I missed you too." He bent down to kiss her and she tugged impatiently on his collar, deepening their reunion kiss as much as she could. With a roll of her eyes, Artemis excused herself quietly as Natsume's fingers wove into her hair. He pulled away slowly and watched her, just took her in for everything that she was. She had never been a strong child, much less a strong adult, but she was getting worse and he knew it. He just couldn't bring himself to do what needed to be done. There was only one place where she could regain her health. Up there. But he wasn't ready to let her go yet, not right now. You see, once she was up there, he could guarantee her safety, but he couldn't determine her fate. It was out of his hands.

"Are you alright?" Her hand was cupping his cheek and he snapped back to reality. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking." He murmured and she looked around the room, staring blankly out of the window.

"We should be going." She said, watching the sun as it threatened to dip behind the horizon. He pulled her gently to her feet and held her close as they walked through the house. "Artemis?" Mikan poked her head around the door of Artemis's study and found her sitting at her desk, a large old book open in front of her. She pushed her chair out and walked over to the couple.

"You're heading back home, right? To the palace?" Mikan nodded and gave the older girl a hug.

"Thank you for looking after me." She whispered into her ear. Artemis hugged her back and smiled.

"Any time darling." Natsume peered over the girls at the book Artemis had been reading. He caught six words that made his throat constrict. _Sending A Subject To The Outworld._ He caught Artemis's eye and she watched him sadly. "It was good seeing you Natsume," She let Mikan go and hugged him as well. "I know you don't want this," She murmured under her breath. "But it's what is right for Mikan. Remember that. You can't keep her in this situation for very much longer."

"I know," He nearly hissed. "Just give me a little more time to spend with her."

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Mikan chimed in, smiling at the two. Natsume let Artemis go and took Mikan's hand.

"Don't worry about it. It was nothing important." A blatant lie. That was all he could do to save a little more time. "We'll be seeing you at lunch tomorrow, won't we Artemis?"

"But of course."

* * *

With the sunset casting shadows over their bodies, Mikan and Natsume reached the palace through the main city.

"Prince Natsume, Princess Mikan, welcome back." The leader of the royal guards and Natsume's personal guard bowed to them when they reached the gate and Mikan laughed.

"Oh Cross, how many times have I told you? Just call me Mikan. The princess title isn't necessary." Natsume smiled fondly at his wife. He loved this side of her. The side that couldn't care less about being royal and respected, she just wanted to be treated like everyone else. She wanted equality. And it made him love her so much more. She didn't want the money and the fame, she just wanted him and the people around her to love and care for. Cross scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry, I will try to remember that from now on your high- I mean, Mikan-sama." Mikan blinked.

"Well, I guess 'sama' will have to do for now. See you later Cross." With a little wave, Mikan led Natsume into the palace. She walked him down the hall to the living room, not their bedroom where he'd assumed they were going to go and sleep. He was pretty tired, but she was a girl worth following he'd found. She pushed open the door and they found Natsume's father sitting on the couch, his mother in the kitchen. "We're home." Mikan chorused happily as Raymond looked up.

"Oh, hello dear, welcome home." Natsume had never really had the best relationship with his father, but his mother was a different story entirely.

"Natsume my dear boy! Welcome home to both you and Mikan my dear." Juri hugged Mikan and then Natsume and offered them a seat on the couch. Mikan, noticing her husband's distress, took the seat closest to his father.

"How have you been father, mother?" Mikan asked cheerily, squeezing Natsume's hand to let him know that she had it all under control. She smiled down at him and he squeezed her hand back as Juri returned to the kitchen.

"It's been very boring my dear girl. It's no fun without you two here." Natsume was suprised that his father had actually included him in this.

"Would you two like some tea?" Juri asked from the kitchen.

"No than you mother," Natsume replied for the both of them. "We'd best be off to bed now. Come along darling." He stood and extended his hand down to Mikan and she took it, nodding her goodbyes to Raymond and Juri.

"Goodnight then."

"Goodnight."

* * *

When lunch was over the next day, Artemis pulled Natsume aside.

"We have to do it tonight. It's the only full moon for another hundred years." She explained. Natsume hesitated.

"You mean, in order for her to get better, she'll be gone for a hundred years?" Artemis nodded sadly.

"I'm afraid so."

"I'll do it." Both heads whipped around to the girl who stood in the doorway, tears springing to her eyes. "It's for the best right? And I'll come back. So I'll do it." She whimpered, swiping at her tears. Natsume felt his gut twist. He walked briskly over to her and caught her lips in his own, threading his fingers through her's. She flexed her fingers in his and wound an arm around his neck, pulling him closer. Artemis, though she wasn't one for romance at this age, couldn't help but start to cry silently. Mikan had saved him, completed him. She made him happier than Artemis had ever seen him, and she only wanted the best for him. She was just scared of what would happen when she was gone. Mikan pulled away and rested her forehead against his, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'll be okay Natsume," She whispered. "I know you wouldn't put me in danger." He bit back the tears that wanted to escape. He wouldn't cry in front of her. He was stronger than that. He brushed his hand over her cheek.

"But there are some factors you need to know first. Come and sit down, Artemis and I will explain it to you." With a nod, Mikan let him guide her to their bed where the three sat, one on either side of Mikan. She kept her hand in Natsume's, for fear that she would break.

"The biggest thing that you need to know," Artemis began, watching at how brave Mikan was trying to be. "Is that you will be born anew. You won't remember any of us, and the only person here who will remember you is that caster of the spell, Natsume."

"Y-you won't remember me?" Mikan asked hesitantly. Artemis nodded and took a deep breath.

"Not until the night of your 250th birthday when the new moon is at it's highest point. Which means that, when you arrive back here in a hundred years on the full moon, you will have to survive two weeks here somehow. Most likely, people will want to kill you because they will assume that you are an Outworlder. And, technically, that's what you will be. But on the night of your 250th birthday, the spell will be removed and you will be restored to what you are today, the princess of Howling Hollows. And we'll all remember you again. You just have to wait it out and stay alive. Do you think you can do that?" Artemis asked her. Mikan looked at Natsume whose eyes were casted at the floor. She placed her hand under his chin and turned him so that he faced her. She held his face in both of her hands, studying him gently.

"What aren't you telling me Natsume?" He gave a hoarse laugh.

"You know me too well for your own good my love," He said gently. "It's just that- I can't determine your fate up there. You could be given the worst life possible and you'd have to suffer through it all alone. I can make sure that you can't be killed, but you'll still feel pain and sorrow. I can't promise you any more than that and I-,"

"I know," She whispered. "I never expected you to do any of this. It's what has to be done so I have to do it. I'll come back to you, I promise you that. Just keep yourself safe." She hugged him tightly and he rested his head in the crook of her neck.

"I'm going to miss you dearly Mikan," He murmured. This wasn't right. He was meant to be comforting her, not the other way around. She hushed him softly.

"I know my darling. I know."

* * *

What happened later that night had long since been forgotten to everyone besides Natsume. And it haunted him every night, making him think that maybe he'd made the wrong decision. No, she had to be reborn, otherwise, before long, she would've died here for good. But still, it ate away at him, shattered his steady hand. It effected him so much that he wanted nothing more than to block her out. To obtain the ultimate power of king. And so that he did. Twenty years after she had left, Natsume, dagger in hand, murdered his father, claiming to the world that he had been assassinated. And everyone believed him, their new king. Though his mother had her doubts, she followed behind her broken son, trying as hard as she could to never question his intentions.

His own decision had shattered him. The love he had no control over had brought out the monster in him.

But it wasn't her fault. No, he could never blame her. He could only fight for her and bring her back.

Even if it killed him.

He'd risk it all.


	6. CHAPTER 5: IMAGES AND MEMORIES

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 5: Images And Memories

She was still wearing their wedding ring. That was the first thing that he had noticed upon looking at her for the first time in a hundred years. It hung on a silver chain around her neck and he touched it gently, looking down at the matching one still on his finger.

"I've turned into a monster my love. I'm so sorry. You told me to keep myself safe and I destroyed everything I had instead. You've barely anything to come back to." He could imagine her waking up with a tender smile saying _'Nonsense, I still have you.'_ But she stayed asleep, stayed oblivious.

"Oh? So you're letting an Outworlder sleep on your bed," Natsume jumped at the voice and turned to find Jinta in the doorway, smirking. He then realised how close he'd been to her and remembered that no one else knew that she was his wife. "Why are you so interested in this girl? Cross could've taken care of her."

"Cross hasn't earned the right to defy my orders or invade my personal life. And nor have you. Leave." Jinta raised his hands in defence, his eyes dark and mischievous.

"Yes, your highness. Anything for you." As the door closed, Natsume saw the glint of silver at Jinta's waist. Was that his dagger? He raised himself from the bed and checked his locked chest where his dagger usually lay. It was still there, where he had put it minutes ago. He looked back over at Mikan as he slipped the dagger back into his belt, closing the chest in which his sword still lay. She probably wasn't safe here.

"I don't know where to hide you. And for two weeks at that! I guess we never really understood what we were getting ourselves into, huh Mikan?" At the mention of her name, Mikan stirred.

"Na-tsume." She whispered in her sleep and his eyes widened. She was starting to remember, earlier than he and Artemis had calculated for all those years ago. But the sooner she remembered, the sooner he could get her to fight alongside him again. She was a woman who knew her way around a sword. "Don't leave me." In her sleep she started to cry silently, tears streaming down her cheeks. His fists clenched at his side. He couldn't break this chance, he had to build her up to trust him again. Until she remembered everything. Even if he had to act like he hated her, it would be worth it soon. He walked up to her and shook her shoulders.

"Oi, brat, get up." Her eyes flickered open and he hesitated for a split second before taking his hands off of her shoulders.

"Where am I? More over, why am I still with you!?" She spat. She was so different from the Mikan he knew, but the exact same all together.

"Calm down. You're in my room."

"Your room!?" He nodded as if it were only natural. She sat up suddenly and in a moment of worry, reached for the wedding ring hanging around her neck. It seemed to help her calm down.

"Where did you get that ring?" He asked her nonchalantly and she studied him cautiously.

"I don't know. I've just always had it. Why do you care?" All her words were slicing through him like a knife.

"I was just asking, don't be rude to royalty." He snapped back.

"Well, news flash, you're _not_ my king. I'm not from here. Take me back to my world! I'd rather suffer up there again than be here with you." So she had been suffering, just as he'd feared. He sat beside her on the bed and she scrambled back against the headboard. He looked down at his joined hands, hiding his ring from her eyes.

"Could you tell me about your life in the Outworld then? Say, as a favour for saving your life."

"You didn't need to save my life," She grumbled under her breath. "But fine. The 'Outworld' is not all it's cracked up to be you know?" She seemed to hesitate before she went on. "I just had the oddest feeling." She murmured.

"What?"

"I felt like I knew you," She shook her head to clear the cobwebs. "Never mind. You wanted to know about what my life was like up there, right?" His heart clenched in his chest as she looked up at him with her blank brown eyes and he nodded. "Well, I was abandoned when I was a baby," She played with the hem of the sheets. "So I never really knew much about anything other than orphanages. I've been to two in total. The first one was really nice and there was this boy, Kouta, who always stood up for me. But I had to leave that one eventually and I went to one that was only for girls. They bullied me everyday," He could see the tears in her eyes and he had to ball his fists to stop himself from reaching out to comfort her. "They were so violent and they told me to kill myself. I'm surprised they didn't do it themselves when I slept to be honest. And then, I ended up here. In this world." She swept her hand around the room. "That's basically my life story. How about you? What is this world like?" He opened his mouth to tell her that she already knew but he thought better of it.

"You don't need to know."

"I don't get you!" She said suddenly, infuriated. "I told you my life story and yet you won't say a single thing about yours. Must be pretty nice to be king, getting everything you want, never having to do anything." She scoffed.

"I killed my father." He muttered without meaning too. He might have blown his last chance.

* * *

Kikuo paced up and down the floor of his and Shiro's bedroom.

"Well, are you going to explain to me what happened?" Mrs Clockwork asked her son as he took a deep breath.

"I-well, that's the thing mother, I'm not really sure what happened."

"How about that girl, Mikan was it? The king seemed very interested in her. Oh ma, do you suppose he fancies her?" Shiro piped up. Mrs Clockwork shook her head at her daughter.

"He doesn't even know the poor girl. Better not be talking about love though, I don't want you messing with that stuff. That goes for you too young man." Kikuo scratched the back of his head.

"Too late." He murmured under his breath. Shiro, with her enhanced hearing, leapt up and grabbed her brother by the shoulders.

"What do you mean too late!?" She squealed. He'd forgotten how much his dear sister loved her gossip.

"She's right young man. What do you mean _too late_?" Kikuo, realising he was cornered by his family, knew he had to say it.

"I-um. Artemis and I... umm. She um... kissed me?" It sounded more like a question to both him and the women before him. He would never get his mother's infuriated face out of his head. Ever.

"Maybe you should go mother dear," Shiro laughed, pushing her mother slowly out of their room. When she was alone with Kikuo, she turned back to face him and her face became serious. "Your love life aside, tell me everything that happened. Now." His sister could be scary when she wanted to be. But it was only when she cared.

"It all began with Mikan," He started, and they sat down together on Shiro's bed.

* * *

Artemis sat alone in her bedroom, thinking about how desperate Natsume had looked when he asked where Mikan was. She felt like she knew the reason for his worry and pain somewhere deep inside, but it was locked away, a memory she couldn't quite reach. She mixed the final witch potion to restore the last of her powers and threw it back, taking it all in one go. She watched from her window, wondering silently is she should go to Kikuo's house. She needed to clear up her feelings with him, needed to tell him how scared she had been. But then again, he might have needed a bit more time alone with his family. It was only fair that it was them over her.

"No, I can't waste any more time not telling him. Intrusive or not, you're going Artemis." She told herself determinedly, hopping off of her bed and grabbing her witch hat. She propped it into place and looked at herself in the mirror before she set off down the lane, taking a right once she reached the main city. She stopped herself once she caught the sight of Nabuki peering around the city and tipped her hat to the side, making her way casually down Tree Twirl lane. "Why isn't he searching the lanes?" She wondered aloud to herself as she knocked on the front door of the Clockwork residence. "Kikuo? Are you in there?" She was wondering for a moment if this was actually where he'd gone when she was startled out of her reverie by Mrs Clockwork herself.

"Oh no, not you little miss trouble," She scanned her eyes up and down Artemis.

"Trouble? I don't understand. Is Kikuo here Mrs Clockwork?" She tried looking past Mrs Clockwork but the old woman moved with her, her hand on her hip.

"I hear you kissed my son." Artemis's cheeks tinted pink. Well this was awkward.

"I might have, yes." She averted her eyes. She had really hoped she wouldn't find herself in this situation. But she should've known. Shiro would've kicked it out of him some way or another.

"And what are your intentions with my son?" Mrs Clockwork demanded and Artemis winced, but spoke strongly nonetheless.

"I love Kikuo. I might have been a coward and afraid to show it back then but- once he disappeared, I knew I'd made a horrible mistake. I love your son so much Mrs Clockwork, I want to spend the rest of my life with him. Even if you disapprove of me." The older woman watched Artemis and studied her closely.

"Then you may have him." Artemis looked up in shock. Mrs Clockwork, after all, was very protective of her children. "As long as you stay with him forever. You so much as leave and I'll kill you myself." She knew she wasn't joking.

"Thank you Mrs Clockwork. I really mean that."

"Run along then. He's upstairs." And with that, she let her pass and Artemis ran up the ladder, making her way up two more floors before she burst through his bedroom door. He was sat with Shiro on one of the beds and both of them looked up at her entrance. Shiro looked between the two and smiled cheekily.

"I'll leave you two be then." And with that, she stepped past Artemis and closed the door softly. In the silence, Kikuo stood and walked forward until he was a few steps in front of her.

"Artemis I -," She shook her head and closed the gap, her body pressing against his. She cupped his cheeks and kissed him softly and sweetly, all the pain of fifty years of missing him in one kiss, a kiss for all the tears she had cried.

"I love you Kikuo," She murmured against his lips, sweeping his white hair back behind his ear. "I always have and I always will." His arms came around her waist and he stared into her violet orbs.

"You know, when I was little, I dreamed of this day. The day where the girl I'd loved forever would say she loved me back. So, I love you Artemis, truly," She felt the tear drops spill from her eyes. "And I want you to be my wife."

* * *

Mikan stared at Natsume, her eyes wide. She was in the presence of a killer. She ran for the door but he reached it before her, his hands on her shoulders. She struggled out of his grip.

"Get off of me you murderer!" A vision, a still image, flicked through her mind when she stared into his sorrowful eyes. An image of her kissing him. She stepped back slowly. "W-what are these images?" She whispered shakily.

"Tell me what you saw," He said gently, trying not to scare her any more than he already had. Mikan shook her head, her eyes glued to the floor.

"It wasn't real. It can't have been." Another image, a death of someone she couldn't quite recognise. He was there with her, holding her close while she cried into his chest. She let out a scream. "I don't understand! I've never lived these moments! Why are you in all of them? Why do I look like I love you!?" She was starting to crack, tears streaming down her small face. He wasn't meant to tell her, for fear that she wouldn't believe him. But he couldn't help himself. He wanted his wife back.

"Because you're my wife." She looked petrified. Another vision, this time a moving memory.

 _"I want you to marry me Mikan." Her smile was brighter than any she remembered herself smiling and she threw her arms around his neck, knocking him back onto the grass in a meadow she couldn't quite remember._

 _"Of course I'll marry you Natsume. I love you so much."_ They looked so happy together, a foreign feeling to the Mikan in front of him now. She shook her head again in defiance.

"That isn't possible! I'm not from here-," She stopped short when another memory flooded through her.

 _"What aren't you telling me Natsume?" He gave a hoarse laugh._

 _"You know me too well for your own good my love," He said gently. "It's just that- I can't determine your fate up there. You could be given the worst life possible and you'd have to suffer through it all alone. I can make sure that you can't be killed, but you'll still feel pain and sorrow. I can't promise you any more than that and I-,"_

 _"I know," She whispered. "I never expected you to do any of this. It's what has to be done so I have to do it. I'll come back to you, I promise you that. Just keep yourself safe." She hugged him tightly and he rested his head in the crook of her neck._

 _"I'm going to miss you dearly Mikan," He murmured. This wasn't right. He was meant to be comforting her, not the other way around. She hushed him softly._

 _"I know my darling. I know."_ She swallowed audibly and he watched her patiently.

"I don't understand. What's happening!?" He took a small step towards her, relieved when she didn't move backwards, but he stayed there, not wanting to make her run away again.

"Tell me what you've seen Mikan," Her heart melted a little at the sound of her name rolling off of his tongue but she held herself together. How was this possible? She knew what her life was, it couldn't have been a lie... could it? No, what she had felt was all too real, there was just something she didn't know. And she was confused and scared to find out in all honesty. Could she really have been married to this boy before her? Could she really have been the queen of Howling Hollows? She took a breath to steady herself and decided that she had nothing to lose anything by telling him.

"I- I saw you kissing me," She whispered, fearing that the life she'd always known would shatter in front of her. "And then I saw us standing by a dead body. And lastly, I saw me comforting you when you said you were going to send me 'up there'. I don't understand this. Why is this happening to me?"

"Do you believe in these memories Mikan?" He asked and she paused to think about it.

"I- I don't know what I believe in any more," He took a step towards her, his arm slowly extending out to touch her shoulder. She took a step backwards and shook her head, her eyes never meeting his. "Please don't touch me." He felt like his heart had been pierced. Was sending her up there worth it after all? He'd toyed with fate and this is what he had got.

"I guess I deserve that," He murmured, grabbing desperately at his raven hair. "I just- I don't know how to make you believe. I don't know how to prove it to you. I don't know how to face up to my demons without you, that's why I've fallen so far. Even if you don't remember me or don't want to believe it," Her head turned up a little and she watched him quietly as he turned his head to the side. "I want you to know how sorry I am for becoming this- this monster that I am now. I never meant to hurt you. I hope you understand that." And with that, he left the room, distressed as he closed and locked the door behind him. "I'm sorry." Reality suddenly set in and she stood up tall, wiping at her tears.

"Wait, Natsume! You can't just leave me locked in here without telling me anything!" She heard his breathing hitch from the other side of the door.

"I'll be back in an hour. Then I'll tell you everything you need to know, whether you choose to believe it or not. Just- get some rest." She heard his footsteps echo down the stone hallway and she slid her back down the door, her head in her hands.

"I don't understand." She sobbed.


	7. CHAPTER 6: MEMORIES THAT WERE FORGOTTEN

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 6: Memories That Were Locked Away And Forgotten

She had once just been a girl from Pitter Patter lane who had happened to trip and fall in front of the prince in the market place. He helped her up like any good prince would have and dusted off her shoulders gently. And then time stopped. He watched the mysterious girl smile a beautiful heart warming smile through her tears and he fell in love.

"Thank you Natsume," She grinned. No one in the country had ever called him by his name. They had always feared him and cowered away, apologising for their rudeness and calling him 'your highness' before he could so much as open his mouth. But this girl was refreshing, a defiance of the imaginary rules everyone else here seemed to follow. Unconsciously, he brought his hand up and ran his thumb along her cheek, catching a falling tear. She blinked and her heart pounded in her chest. To him, she looked the epitome of beauty, even in her plain black laced dress which his mother would have gasped at and muttered about it being unworthy of royalty. Her brown locks flowed down her back and stopped in the crook of her arms, her eyes a perfect shade of milk chocolate.

"Mikan!" A voice called from behind them and the moment shattered, the girl's head turning to face a girl around their age. "Hurry up would you!?" From where Mikan's friend was standing, her view of Natsume was obscured by Mikan. She turned back to Natsume.

"So your name is Mikan?" He grinned devilishly and her cheeks darkened a little as she nodded.

"I, uh- I better go," Natsume opened his mouth to tell her that he wanted to see her again when she smiled and his breath hitched in his throat. "Midnight," She stared straight into his orbs of burning fire. "At the meadow beyond Pitter Patter lane." He found himself nodding dumbly as she skipped away towards her friend.

"Hey, woah, Mikan, was that the prince!? How did you manage to talk to someone with such a high standing title!?" He was still in ear-shot when she turned back and winked at him.

"His title isn't what's important Illiya, it's what's in his heart that matters." And with that, she turned her head back towards the lanes. He watched as she disappeared with Illiya down Pitter Patter lane and took a deep breath, his hand pressing gently against his chest to hear his heartbeat. It was erratic. He smiled to himself.

"It's not my title that matters, huh?"

* * *

She waited patiently at the riverside in the meadow for him at midnight. She wasn't one to continuously check her watch but she found herself checking it more often than she normally would. Though she stayed as patient as she could all the same. She swept a strand of hair back behind her ear and turned at the crunching of leaves under foot behind her. She smiled up at the figure as he came to a stop beside her and sat down.

"So you do appear when you're called," Mikan giggled as he nudged her shoulder with his.

"Very funny," He couldn't keep the adoring smile off of his lips. "What made you so bold as to call a prince out then?" He'd never really affiliated himself with the title 'prince' in spoken text before but he knew she wouldn't judge him. There was something about her, something just so honest, that made him feel like he'd known her forever. It made him feel like he could trust her with his life. And a prince's trust is something hard to come by here in Howling Hollows.

"Oh, you know, just thought you could do with a little breather from your royal duties with a poor girl from Pitter Patter lane who you've never met before." She shrugged and cast her eyes out at the river. "Indulge me with an answer to this question if you can, but, why exactly _did_ you accept to meet me here. I mean, you're a prince-," He cut her off with a small laugh.

"Weren't you the one who said 'it's what's in his heart that matters'?"

"Well, I suppose so but- you don't even know me." She reasoned, turning her head to face him, resting her cheek on her knees. He mirrored her actions and watched her intently.

"Well, you don't know me either, do you?" She pursed her lips and thought about it.

"I guess you're right." She whispered into the night.

"If there's one thing you'll ever find out about me, it's that I'm always right." He said amusedly.

"Hmm? Are you saying there are going to be more nights like tonight?" She teased as his hand came up to stroke her cheek gently.

"If you'd like that, I think I can find some time to spare for you." She rested her forehead against his.

"Mm," She murmured. "I think I'd like that a lot." Her eyes flickered to his lips briefly and then back up to his eyes and she bit her lip and smiled as he leaned in and pressed his lips against her's. She kissed him back tenderly and cupped his face with her hands. He broke away and looked at her eyes cautiously, afraid that she was going to run off after such a bold movement. But she didn't, she just curled up against his chest instead. He wound his arms around her and kissed her hair. He wasn't sure what he was meant to say in such a unique situation, so when Mikan finally looked up at him, he just opened his mouth slightly and nothing came out. She gave a tinkly little laugh. "Speechless are we Natsume?"

"Well, it's just that I never thought my life would go like this."

"Like what?" She asked and he smiled.

"Perfectly." He looked down at her and she smiled back as her watch struck twelve thirty and chimed at her impatiently. She looked sadly down at her watch and then her eyes travelled back up to his.

"Sorry to break our perfect moment but I have to go," He helped her to her feet and thumbed her cheek lovingly.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" He asked as she pushed up on her feet and gently placed a kiss to his lips.

"Well, I might just happen to live at twenty-three Pitter Patter lane and my front door might just happen to be open all day tomorrow."

"So whenever I can spare a moment-,"

"I'll be waiting," She walked backwards with her hands together behind her back, watching him as she pondered a thought. "Might be better to knock though. Mother might faint if the prince walked into our house and wandered around in search of her daughter." She giggled. He shoved a hand in his pocket and with the other began waving.

"Roger that."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow my prince," She teased, grinning as she kept walking backwards. He let out a laugh as she waved in time with him.

"That you shall my princess."

* * *

At one o'clock the next day, Natsume began to sneak out of the palace.

"And you'd be going where my boy?" Juri asked, catching her son in the process of opening the back door of the palace. He turned around slowly.

"Um, no where in particular mother. Just out for a walk I suppose."

"You suppose, huh?" Juri put her hand on his shoulder. "Where are you really going Natsume?" She said gently as Natsume caught her eyes.

"Promise you won't tell father?" Juri raised her eyebrows but nodded anyway. Natsume scratched the back of his head. "I'm going to see the girl I love." Juri clapped her hands together.

"Is she from a rich family? Oh where did you meet her my boy!?" Natsume rolled his eyes. He should've known that his mother would make a big deal out of it. But she deserved to know the truth.

"No mother, she isn't rich. She lives down Pitter Patter lane," His mother gasped. Pitter Patter lane was the poorest lane after all. But that meant nothing to him. "And I met her in the market yesterday. She fell over and I helped her up." Juri seemed to set aside the worries that revolved around whether Mikan was rich or not and blinked.

"You met her yesterday you say?" Natsume nodded. "And you're sure that you actually _love_ her? It's not just a little crush?" Natsume sighed and pushed open the back doors fully.

"I love her mother. I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life." And with that he took off down the side of the palace and out into the main city. He made his way casually down Pitter Patter lane, the stares of the poor burning into him on all sides. He stopped in front of twenty-three Pitter Patter lane and looked up at the household in front of him. It was a simple two floor square wood building with a white washed door and four windows facing him. He thought about how Mikan's mother would react but shook it quickly from his head and made his way up to the front door, rapping his knuckles against it three times.

"Coming!" A cherry voice called. He knew it wasn't Mikan's but he could hear rapid footsteps coming down the stairs.

"It's alright mother, I'll get it!" Now _that_ was a voice he'd never forget. "You just go back to whatever you were doing mother." Mikan huffed as she opened the door to Natsume. He smiled up at her and she threw her arms around his neck.

"That was a nice greeting," He laughed as she pulled back.

"Would you like to come in? Mother might be a little over excited at times but she means no harm... I think." He rolled his eyes at the thought of his own mother, taking her hand in his.

"I'm sure I can handle her." With a quick look over her shoulder, Mikan nodded.

"Mother, you might want to sit down for this. Just for a moment that's all." She watched as her mother quirked her eyebrows but sat down nonetheless. Mikan, her heart pounding in her chest, tugged Natsume gently into the house. Her mother blinked for a few moments and the room fell silent. All of a sudden, Mikan's little brother ran down the stairs and shattered the silence.

"Oh wow! The prince is in our house!"

"Go back upstairs Shou," Sakura Lillian said gently and when Shou didn't move she rolled her eyes. "Go on, off you go. Don't be ignoring me now." Shou nodded, unsure of what was going on before him, and went back upstairs. Lillian turned back to her daughter and the prince. "Your highness," She bowed her head and Natsume shook his.

"Really, that title isn't necessary miss." He insisted and Lillian looked at their joined hands and then up at Mikan who let him go and walked over to her mother, kneeling down in front of her.

"I know he's not exactly the type of boy you approve of mother but this is my decision, is it not?" Lillian looked up at her daughter and then to Natsume.

"You're a lucky boy you know, having my girl get on her knees in front of me." She rubbed her face tiredly but smiled anyway. Natsume bowed, something that surprised both Mikan and her mother.

"I know and I promise that I'll never do any wrong by her. You have my royal word." Lillian nodded and smiled up at Mikan, helping her to her feet.

"I hope your happy with your choice honey. Now run along, do what you please."

"Can I show him my bedroom mother?" Mikan asked and Natsume held back a laugh as Lillian's eyes widened.

"I think that might not have sounded like you'd intended Mikan." Mikan thought about it and her face reddened, her hands flailing in front of her.

"No, wait, that's not what it sounded like. I just wanted to show him where I grew up!" Lillian let out a long laugh and hugged her daughter.

"I know what you mean honey. Of course you can. Every man should know the one in which he chases after." Humming to herself, Lillian made her way back into the kitchen and Mikan headed for the stairs.

"Come along then." With a soft smile, Natsume followed her up the staircase.

"Are you really the prince?" Shou popped his head around his door frame and Mikan pushed him back into his room by his shoulders.

"Either stay out of my private life or go help mother. Got that Shou?" She ruffled his hair and knelt down to his level. "If you stuff this up for me with your excessively big mouth, I will never let you live it down." Poking his tongue out at Mikan, Shou disappeared down the stairs. Mikan pushed back up to her full height and turned to Natsume with a breezy smile. His hands found her waist and he grinned.

"So you _do_ have an evil side." He teased.

"Well, I wouldn't call it _evil_ per say. Just threatening."

"That'll teach me to never get on your bad side." She danced a finger up his chest.

"Maybe it will." She giggled as he peppered kisses down her jaw and pressed his forehead against her's.

"Ready to show me your past?" He asked and she pressed a full kiss to his lips.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

 _It was a tale he could tell off of the back of his palm, something engraved into his memory. He wished so dearly that she could remember all of the special moments they had shared. But she would. All in good time he reminded himself. All in good time._


	8. CHAPTER 7: INNER DEMONS

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 7: Inner Demons

Mikan hadn't planned on falling asleep like he'd asked her too. But she was so stressed out and so emotionally confused that she'd just stumbled over to his bed and pulled back the sheets, laying down as her eyes closed and she dropped into the darkness. She awoke an hour or so later to the door being unlocked and Natsume's eyes catching her's as he closed the door with his back. He seemed to lose his words at the sight of her waking up in their bed like she used to, so she took it upon herself and opened her mouth to start the conversation.

"Why?" She whispered, not moving from where she sat in the bed, her back pressed up against the headboard.

"May I sit with you?" He asked gently, gesturing towards the bed. Hesitantly, she nodded and he made his way over to sit beside her feet. "I want you to ask any questions you need answered. I am willing now to answer them all." She thought long and hard about it before spying the ring on his hand that was pressed down against the sheets. She trailed her hands up to her necklace and gripped it lightly.

"Is this... a wedding ring?" She asked quietly as Natsume looked at his own ring and nodded. "They're the same." She noted as she gingerly brushed her fingers over his ring. His heart pounded in his chest. It was the first time she'd willingly touched him in a hundred odd years. "Theoretically, if I were to believe everything you're saying," She murmured. "Would you tell me how long we've been married?" She hadn't moved her hand off his.

"A hundred and fifty years." He answered almost instantly and her eyes widened.

"A- a hundred and fifty... years?" She looked at him for a moment before taking her hand away from his, clutching the ring around her neck. "H-how is that possible? I'm only fourteen." She had tears in her eyes now but she didn't seem to notice. He took a breath to steady himself before answering.

"I can explain that. Can I ask you to listen closely for me?" She nodded. "A hundred years ago, you were very frail and it was starting to cause you exhaustion and you were slowly dying," He found himself choking on his words. "The only way that I could help you was by sending you to the Outworld. I was hesitant to do it, in fact I didn't want to do it at all, but you caught Artemis and I talking after lunch one day-," She held up her hand to stop him.

"Wait, Artemis?" He knew what she was asking. How did Artemis not remember her?

"Only I, as the caster of the spell, remember you."

"Will they ever remember me?" She sounded like she was starting to believe everything he was saying but she couldn't determine herself what she was believing and what she wasn't. Natsume nodded and for some strange reason, she felt relieved. Something deep inside of her told her that this would all make sense soon, like it was a wise version of herself trapped inside.

"In just under two weeks, on your birthday. The deal was that when you turned 250, the spell would be over and the memories trapped inside everyone, including you yourself, would be remembered. But until then, you have to let me protect you. They will try and kill you Mikan." The words didn't scare her for some reason. She'd expected them to, but they never did. He ran a hand through his already tousled hair and closed his eyes painfully. "Look, I don't expect you to believe anything I'm telling you, not a single word of it, but I need you to trust me. Do you trust me Mikan?"

"Have I knocked you out and run away yet?" She smiled gently. "I'll give you a chance. But only until my birthday, okay? If what you're saying doesn't occur on my birthday then I'll leave. I'll find some way to get out of here. Does that sound fair to you?"

"It's certainly more than I deserve." He sounded so relieved, she could plainly hear it in his voice. "Do you have any more questions for me?"

"For now, only one," She started slowly. "Did you really kill your father?" He'd been expecting her to ask this but it still stung. He hung his head.

"I have no excuses for that sin,"

"Try me." She said gently and it all started spilling out.

"When you left I just couldn't take it. I spent every day and every night haunted by the fact that maybe this wasn't even going to help you. I started ignoring the people that loved me and I did the only thing that I could. I shut myself down and took on every bit of written work I could find. One night, a few months after you had gone, it really hit me that I had to wait a hundred years for your return and I needed something more than work to keep me occupied. So I settled for power," He took a breath. "And I knew that the only way to get that was to kill him," His hands started to shake and he balled them into fists. "I can't even say sorry to him Mikan! I destroyed him with my own two hands and he was my father! Sure we never saw eye to eye but... I loved him, I really did, and I haven't told him that since I was a small child. It's just so frustrating! I don't know what I'm meant to do-," Her arms came around him and she pulled him into her shoulder as his eyes widened. She may not have known completely who he was or what was going on, but she felt for him anyway. "M-Mikan?" She hushed him gently.

"It's okay to let it out you know. I have absolutely no recollection of any of this but somewhere deep me inside I just wanted so badly to comfort you so, that's what my body naturally did. I understand your reasons and I should probably be very angry with you but, I want you to know that it's okay. Stop ripping yourself up about it and just accept that it was a mistake. Can you do that do you think?" Slowly, his arms came around her waist and he gripped onto her shirt.

"I miss you so much. I mean, I know you're here and all but I miss the you that loves me." The realistic side of her wanted to pull away but her heart knew that he wasn't lying. He cared for her dearly no matter what the real situation was. And the part of her that believed in love and hope didn't want to let him go.

"I'm sorry that I've done this to you. I think that, when I regain my memories, I'll be able to understand this better." She could only choose to believe him and apologize.

"So you believe me?" He whispered into her shoulder.

"As much as I can in this situation, yes. I might not know what's going on but I do believe that you care for me. Otherwise you wouldn't have tried this hard to convince me." He pulled away and stared down at his hands.

"It would be bad of me to ask for a kiss, wouldn't it?" Mikan nodded slowly but leaned forward to kiss his cheek. His mouth fell open a little bit as his heart registered the feel of her lips against his skin.

"For now, that's as much as I can do. I'm sorry. But for the me right now, it just wouldn't make sense." He nodded in agreement.

"No, I understand. It was rude of me to push you so far. But, Mikan...,"

"Yes?"

"Thank you." And he smiled his first genuine smile in a long time. Mikan felt her heart beat a little faster than usual and she smiled back sadly. He was a broken boy in reality, one her heart felt ready to put back together.

* * *

They talked long into the night and she just felt so comfortable with him that she didn't think much of it. She didn't notice her heart growing fonder of him as the time progressed and she didn't realise that she was smiling at everything he said as they stood on the balcony in the moonlight. She just felt like it was something she'd been doing all her life. It was something she couldn't describe. Initially, she'd thought that because he was a king and because he had magically teleported her without her consent, that he was going to be mean and evil. But he was so much more. Maybe it was because he remembered her as his wife and he was so desperate for her to remember as much as she could that everything, all his darkest secrets, just tumbled out one after the other. She crossed her arms and leaned them against the marble railing of the balcony, resting her cheek on top of her forearm, her eyes watching him as he poured his soul out to her. In the midst of his talking, his eyes transferred to her's and he stopped short at that gorgeous smile he'd missed more than anything.

"Is something wrong?" She asked and he was shaken out of his reverie.

"Well, no, it's just that...," He trailed off, scratching the back of his head, his cheeks a little pink.

"Just what?" She challenged, intrigued by the colour rising to his cheeks. He cast his eyes out to the moon.

"That's pretty much the same stance you had when you called me out to the lake that night."

"That night?" She pressed and he watched her with a smile.

"The night I first kissed you." It was as if everything just froze momentarily and the scene flooded through her mind like an old movie.

 _"If there's one thing you'll ever find out about me, it's that I'm always right." He said amusedly._

 _"Hmm? Are you saying there are going to be more nights like tonight?" She teased as his hand came up to stroke her cheek gently._

 _"If you'd like that, I think I can find some time to spare for you." She rested her forehead against his._

 _"Mm," She murmured. "I think I'd like that a lot." Her eyes flickered to his lips briefly and then back up to his eyes and she bit her lip and smiled as he leaned in and pressed his lips against her's. She kissed him back tenderly and cupped his face with her hands._

"Mikan?" He waved a hand in front of her face and she jumped. "You were spacing out," He explained. "Are you okay?"

"You think you could find some time to spare for me? She said with a smile.

"You remember that?" He asked eagerly. It was obviously a very important memory to him.

"As of just now, yes," She looked up at him. "A question, if I may."

"Of course. Anything."

"How long had we known each other at that point?" He grinned and then laughed to himself. "What? Tell me!" She protested.

"It s nothing much really. But if you must know, that was the second time I d seen you."

"Ever?" She asked, her mouth agape.

"Ever." He confirmed. "You were very bold back then." Mikan thought about it.

"But, as I understand it, you," She poked a finger at his chest. "Kissed me."His eyes glistened at the sight of her defending herself.

"And it was the best decision I ever made. I mean, I got to see you every day for fifty years and every day, I loved you more than the last." He realised that he'd started rambling and stopped. He watched as she took a small step towards him.

"You really do love me, don t you?" She brushed her fingers across his cheek and his eyes fluttered closed as he leaned into her touch.

"More than anything."

"I feel so bad that I'm causing you so much pain." Natsume brought his hand up to cover her's and stepped forwards until his body touched her's. He never opened his eyes.

"I knew what I was getting myself into Mikan, so don t worry about that, okay? For now though, I need to know whether you re comforting me or if you want to kiss me. You're not as easy to read as you were back then." He d expected her to pull away and storm back inside.

"I think a part of me wants to know what the old me knew." She wrapped her arms around his neck and he opened his eyes in surprise.

"And that would be?" He murmured quietly.

"I believe you were the one who taught me how to dance, right?" She watched as he visibly deflated and she laughed. "I'm only teasing. Come here." She pulled his head forward gently and parted his lips with her own. She was acting purely on instinct here but everything in her body was screaming at her that she loved him. It may have been a bit rash on her behalf but it felt so right. Besides,it had only taken one look for her to fall in love in the past, so a day was more than enough, right? His arms came around her waist and she never wanted the bliss to end. She was one-hundred percent sure that this was what she wanted, that this was what was right. He broke away for air, only to kiss her again. And she responded willingly. He didn't stop kissing her for so long, for fear that she would snap back to how she'd been earlier in the day."I'm not going to disappear you know." She murmured against his lips. "It was my choice, my actions, and I chose them because I want this to work out somehow. Our memories match and that can't just be a scary coincidence. So I believe you Natsume. Fully."

"Do you really mean that?" She nodded and he kissed her once more, long and leisurely.

"I just wish I remembered more," She murmured and he tucked her hair behind her ear. "It's just so unfair on you that I wonder what I did to deserve you." Natsume blinked.

"Did that trigger any memories?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No. Why?"

"It's just, you said the majority of that sentence on our wedding night." His voice seemed to be the key to triggering certain memories because in that instant, she remembered.

 _They stood on the balcony, hand in hand, waving out at the people of Howling Hollows who had gathered in the town square, They had just been married and Juri insisted that the town needed to meet their new princess. The crowd cheered and yelled up their congratulations for a good twenty minutes before they left and Mikan let out a breath._

 _"I think I forgot to breathe." She laughed, turning in his grasp and wrapping her arms around his neck._

 _"So you_ were _scared." He teased, his arms coming around her waist._

 _"I wasn't_ scared _, per say, just worried."_

 _"That they wouldn't accept you?"_

 _"You know me too well." He pressed his forehead against her's._

 _"That s my job darling." She smiled and placed her lips atop his, kissing him sweetly as he walked them backwards towards the bed. She giggled as her fell back onto their bed and caught her on top of him, her hands brushing his hair back from his eyes._

 _"I wonder what I did to deserve you." She murmured thoughtfully as he rolled her over and put a hand on either side of her, trapping her under him._

 _"Are you really going to ask this now?" Natsume breathed and she cupped his face._

 _"Of course not." And with that she pulled him down for another kiss, her arms twining around his neck, her heart beating rapidly for the one she undeniably loved._

"I remember," She said quietly.

"Describe it to me." He bit his lip and smiled cheekily as she whacked his chest lightly.

"I'm sure you can figure it out," She yawned. "What time is it?" He looked at his watch.

"One in the morning."

"Wow, you've been pouring your heart out for a while then." She teased. "Which I appreciate, just so you know." He gestured to the bed when she yawned again.

"Would you find it weird to sleep in the same bed as me? I can sleep on the floor if you'd like." And he wasn't joking, his voice was sincere. Mikan, exasperated, gasped.

"It would be more than rude for me to rid you of your own bed," She made her way over to the bed in question. "It doesn't phase me, sleeping in the same bed as a boy I mean. I used to do it all the time with Shou," Mikan stopped just short of slipping under the sheets and sat down slowly. "Shou." She murmured. He sat beside her and took her hand, rubbing little circles into her palm for comfort. He'd hoped her family was the last thing she would remember. Not because he was trying to keep her for himself, but just because he knew how much her family meant to her. She turned to Natsume with worried eyes. "Did I- did I tell them I was leaving?" He wanted so desperately to reply with a _'Yes, and they understood.'_ , but he would be lying if he did. So he turned his head to gaze out at the night sky beyond the balcony.

"You didn't want them to worry." He said silently.

"I'm such an idiot."

"No, you were protecting me." She turned his face towards her gently with her hand.

"Protecting you? What do you mean?"

"Your mother would have killed me if she knew that I had not only let you go to the Outworld alone but that I was the one who had suggested it! She'd have my head on a silver platter for putting you in so much danger Mikan, and you didn't want that, so you never told her or Shou."

"What about my father?" She knew she'd asked the wrong question when he took his hand away from her's and hopped under the sheets, facing away from her.

"We don't talk about him. Those are memories I hope you never get back. For your own sake. Now go to sleep." After everything that had happened, he was shutting her out. She did that one thing that she could think of. Hopping into the bed properly, Mikan wrapped her arms around his torso and kissed his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She murmured against his bare shoulder.

"It's fine," He sighed. "Just- get some sleep, okay?"

"Mm." She agreed, never letting him go. Something inside her head told her that she wouldn't be with him for very much longer.

* * *

Hi guys! Just a little note:

If you find any grammar mistakes like missing apostrophes or anything of the sort, please just ignore it. I had to write this out all by hand and the use someone else's computer to type it up. Then when I put it on here, it decided to take out all the apostrophes, quotation marks and one line spaces between dialogue just to annoy me, so I had to go back through everything and it took me a good hour to get this on here so if I've skimmed over an apostrophe or a quotation mark, please let it pass, I will be forever grateful. I am very exhausted and I did the best that I could. Hopefully my computer will be fixed in a few days.

Until then, thank you.

Xx SweetsPrincess-Sama


	9. CHAPTER 8: THEY WEREN'T FORGOTTEN

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 8: Some Memories Were Never Taken; They Remain

"We have to do it tonight. It's the only full moon for another hundred years." With a quick glance behind him, Cross heard the clapping of feet against marble, heading straight for him, so he walked briskly in the opposite direction as Mikan came into view. He questioned his prince's motives for sending his wife to the Outworld, like nothing he'd ever questioned before. But he made his judgement without hearing the full story. He tipped his hat to queen Juri and she smiled gently at him.

"And where ever are you headed so soon after lunch Cross?" Juri asked.

"Just to visit my younger brother is all, your majesty."

"Hurry along then." With a nod, he made his way out of the castle and hurried to WitchChester lane, relieved that his brother lived farther up from Artemis; meaning that he'd never see her if she came home any time soon. Without knocking, Cross pushed open the door to his brother's house.

"Jinta? You here?"

"I'm in the shower. What do you want?"

"I need to find a potion. Enough of it for Kouta, you and I," Cross explained. "Mind if I look through your spell books?"

"Knock yourself out. I expect and explanation when I'm out though." Cross walked over to Jinta's bookshelves which were filled with high level wizardry spells. He had to flick through a good dozen before he found what he was looking for. Jinta emerged from the hallway, his dark blue hair still damp from his shower. "Find what you needed?" He asked, sitting beside Cross on one of the couches.

"Precisely what I needed." He replied. He pointed to a certain spell and Jinta's eyes widened.

"A memory eraser block? What in the name of Howling Hollows do you need that for?"

"The prince," Cross began. "He's sending his wife to the Outworld with Artemis's help. I overheard them saying it was going to be tonight and the prince had a memory erasing incantation under the files on his desk-,"

"That's a complete invasion of the prince's space, justified or not." Jinta interrupted and Cross sighed.

"Hear me out. He's going to make us all forget the princess so you and I will keep guard here to see what happens and I'll send Kouta up with this charm." He pulled out a cross necklace.

"'Up', as in you're going to risk sending your best friend up there? For how long?"

"Until he loses track of her. Then he can use this to come back." He gestured to the necklace. Jinta sighed.

"You want me to prepare the potions, don't you?" Cross nodded.

"This isn't a request, it's a demand. I'll resign as his guard and gather a council. So that when the princess comes back, she'll be killed. You will take my place as his guard. Be my eyes in the castle."

"You really do hate the princess, don't you? Why is that?"

"Mind your own business and make the potions. I'll go talk to Kouta."

"Yes sir," Jinta replied sarcastically with a bow. "As you wish." Cross headed for the door and made his way around the back of WitchChester lane to Swirling Swords lane where Kouta lived. This time though, he had the courtesy to knock. Kouta answered the door with a puzzled look.

"Cross? Come in." He let Cross past him and into his house.

"I'll get this over with quickly. Do you remember the debt that you owe me for saving your life?" Kouta nodded cautiously. "Well I need you to go to the Outworld. You're going to follow the princess."

 _The rest of this story is hazy but in time will be uncovered._

 _The betrayal of the broken king and his wife._

 _The spell that was blocked._

 _The boy she thought she knew._


	10. CHAPTER 9: LOVELY DISASTERS

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 9: Lovely Disasters

When Mikan awoke the next morning she completely blanked out for a moment, forgetting where she was. But as she rolled over and hit a warm body, she remembered. Everything came flooding back. Artemis, Hood, Natsume, everything. He was asleep, that she could tell from observation, and she took this time to think about everything that was going on, all the choices she had made. There was a voice in the back of her head screaming one thing: _Was kissing Natsume a good thing?_ In which she concluded that it was indeed a good thing. With every memory she regained, she grew more and more in love with him. She knew that that kiss was no mistake. Ignoring her questions, she instead focused on studying him. His soft raven hair fell over his eyes which were closed peacefully in sleep, his mouth slightly agape and his breathing even and shallow. Her eyes trailed down his neck to the blades in his shoulders and the smooth skin that was partially revealed from under his tee-shirt. Her hands found their way up his back and stroked gently over his shoulder as he stirred. He gave a low moan and rolled over to face her, his eyes opening slowly. He registered her calm smiling face and reached his hand out to thread his fingers through her hair, his forehead pressing lightly against her's.

"How did you sleep?" He murmured, still half asleep himself.

"Fine thanks to you." He smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer so that their bodies were flush against each other.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" She watched him quietly and cupped his cheek with her left hand, shaking her head.

"Not at all. I'm right here." He seemed conflicted, as if he wanted to believe her but was afraid to. She caught his lips with her own and pressed all her feelings into that one kiss. "Do you believe me now?" She broke away and his eyes widened slightly as he nodded.

"I'm rather glad I doubted you for a moment there. I should do that more often." And he was back.

"You're so full of yourself, you know that?" He gave a shrug, jostling her body as he went. He opened his mouth to speak when a knock sounded at the bedroom door.

"May I come in?" A woman's voice asked gently from the other side of the door. Mikan began to scramble around, embarrassed and flustered. Natsume's eyes crinkled in delight at her distress.

"I'm hardly decent mother." He called back, much to her relief. "You're pretty cute when you're fidgeting." He whispered, watching her eyes flicker around the room.

"Now is not the time Natsume! What do you suppose I do?" She exclaimed quietly.

"Why do anything at all? Knowing her, she won't question you. Though she isn't aware of it, deep down she knows that you're her daughter-in-law after all." Mikan blinked.

"At least let me pretend I'm asleep." She grumbled. He brushed her hair back behind her ear and trailed kisses down her throat as she shivered.

"Whatever you wish." He pressed up off of the bed and she pulled the duvet up to her chin. With a few quick strides, Natsume opened the door as Mikan peeked out from the small opening between her fingers. The lady was moderately tall, her eyes the same burning red as Natsume's. She had long night black hair and pale yellow robes with red dragons embedded in the silk. Her eyes met momentarily with Mikan's and she stayed completely still in an effort to keep up her act of a sleeping nobody. She pondered for a moment if maybe her act was already in vain.

"My dear boy, I trust you haven't forgotten your meeting with the royal guards this morning?" Natsume's eyes flickered between her and Mikan. "Shall I attend to her when she awakens?" He shook his head immediately.

"You will leave her be mother. She is not to be disturbed. As for I, well, I shall be down momentarily." Juri nodded and started to bow when Natsume caught her shoulder, his eyes soft. "That will no longer be necessary. You have your thanks to give to this girl," Under the blankets, Mikan's eyes widened. "She's changed me." Her heart clenched with love and began to beat a tenfold faster.

"You're awake aren't you dear?" Mikan peeked shyly out from under the duvet.

"H-hello your majesty."

"Juri should be fine dear," Juri smiled fondly at the young girl. "Thank you for saving my son." Mikan smiled up at her mother-in-law.

"It was nothing really."

"No, I am forever grateful to you. Now you my boy, get dressed- and hang on to this one. She's a lovely young lady." Natsume nodded and began to close the door.

"I'll be down soon." His eyes followed across the room to where Mikan sat smiling to herself. He made his way over to her and held her close, his arms dangling loosely around her waist, his nose in the crook of her neck, hugging her from behind. "Will you be okay if I leave you here for an hour or so?"

"Would I have to stay in this room?" She asked, turning her head to face him, her lips brushing gently across his cheek as she turned. His eyes met her's.

"Sadly, I will have to answer yes. I can't risk losing you again."

"I think I can live with that. Do you have any books for me to read? Any swords for me to play with?" He let out a laugh that shook right through her frame and pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder.

"You won't be touching my sword thank you very much. But I suppose I could find you something to read. What would you like? A fairytale? A romance?" She let out a giggle at that.

"You're telling me that you have romance novels?" She teased and his mouth curved up in amusement.

"They'll be from the palace library if you must know."

"Then I'll take anything you recommend." She smiled. He let her go and returned with a thick fairytale book a few minutes later.

"It was your favourite," He flicked it open to the back of the book where the list of people who had issued it remained in faded ink. A big majority of the list, she noticed, was her own name written in a neat cursive handwriting. _Sakura Mikan._ "I thought you might like to read it again. Maybe it will bring back some memories while you're at it." He made his way over to his closet and pulled out his dark blue meeting robes, lifting his tee-shirt over his head as Mikan blushed and buried her face in the fairytale book. It had a brown leather bound cover with gold italics on the front saying _An Old Folktale Book_ and the pages were a dull white with faded black ink and even more so faded pictures in delicate swirling frames. Mikan, as curious as ever, slowly brought the book down from her face and took in the sight of his back muscles flexing as he slipped the robes over his shoulders and pushed his arms through the arm holes. He turned back to her and grinned devilishly. "Like what you see?" He asked teasingly as her face turned a shade of light scarlet.

"Oh shut up." He headed for the door as she found her voice. "N-Natsume?" He turned to look at her, his eyes questioning as she once again hid her face behind the book, obscuring her view somewhat.

"Yeah?" Her eyes were barely visible as he held onto the door.

"I love you." His heart constricted painfully but it brought him so much bliss. She wouldn't have said it- actually, she hadn't planned on saying it- she just had a bad feeling about the day in front of her. Anything could happen here. He made his way back across the room and lowered the book from her face, kissing her gently.

"I love you too." And with that, he left the room, the door slowly shutting and the lock clicking over. Mikan pressed a hand against her heart and took a deep breath. She had said it. It was out there now. There was no going back.

* * *

Cross, his memories fully intact, made his way into the palace. He was greeted by curious looks that recognised him faintly as their king's old guard as he steered himself down to where the head guard's room was. Jinta had left it unlocked for him and if anyone found him and asked him what he was doing, they wouldn't be breathing for much longer. That he could guarantee. He slipped into Jinta's room and unhooked the key he had left hanging from above his desk, pocketing it quickly as he left the room and closed the door quietly. His plan was simple. For starters, he knew all too well that Natsume and his brother were in the meeting room situated at the far end of the palace. Queen Juri at this time, if her schedule had remained the same, would be having tea and reading in her bedroom which was down the hall from the meeting room, meaning that this section of the palace was clear and easy to manoeuvre about. He made his way up the stone staircase to the top floor and fished the key out from his pocket, inserting it into the lock on king Natsume's door. The princess was in here, he could feel her Outworlder vibes clearly.

"Natsume? Is that you?" He heard her voice float out from under the door and the bed squeak in protest as she hopped off of it. He turned the doorknob and entered the room, closing the door behind him so that she had no escape. She was exactly as he remembered. Her long brown locks and chocolate shaded eyes, a pale violet sun dress hanging from her petite frame. Her hands found the bed frame. "Who are you?" She asked. Cross grinned an easy smile and pulled out his dagger, running his finger along the silver length of it.

"How rude you are princess." Her eyes widened at the sound of her title rolling off of his tongue bitterly. "I would hardly think you've forgotten me."

"I'm sorry but I have no idea who you are or what you mean by 'princess'." He pointed the dagger at her lazily.

"Don't lie to me _Mikan-sama._ " Her body went rigid as she remembered the man in front of her. Natsume's guard who had been nothing but a gentleman to her for years on end, who had admired her in every way. _Cross Withers_. Every fiber in her body screamed that something was tragically wrong with this situation and he was blocking her only exit with a vicious grin and a razor sharp dagger. "Now, if you want to live, I suggest you come with me," Mikan made no attempt to move. "Didn't you hear me _princess_!? I _will_ kill you. Come on, just be my hostage for a while. I'll treat you kindly." He ran the tip of the dagger along the door behind him and Mikan shivered.

"What do you want with me?" She said in nothing more than a strained whisper.

"To lure the king to me. You're my best bet to get the throne for myself."

"And why is that?"

"Don't play dumb with me! My memories were never taken! It seems that your husband can fail in multiple aspects of a potentially flawless plan. His first mistake was making me his guard. The second was marrying you." Mikan bit back a sour curse and backed slowly out onto the balcony. "You can't jump from there princess, you'll die." And surely enough, the balcony was a good five stories high above the ground below. Mikan, afraid of nothing in this moment, grabbed for the marble railing as Cross raised his finger. "I didn't think I'd have to resort to this." He murmured and a spark shot out of his ring finger, causing Mikan to collapse into a forced slumber. He walked over to her, pocketing his dagger before he hoisted her over his shoulder and made his way over to a clear wall at the opposite side of the room from the bed, spraying a big 'X' across the wall in red spray paint before he dropped the can carelessly and teleported out of the room. "Try keeping your throne now Natsume."

* * *

The door to his room was wide open when he returned, a panicked look stuck on his features. He ran into the room and looked around. She wasn't in there. She was gone. With a frustrated grunt, Natsume noticed the big 'X' in red on the far wall and turned to storm out of his room where he was met with a blade.

"Jinta!?" The cold silver was deadly still at the hollow of his throat.

"One move and I'll end you."

"I don't understand. What's gotten into you?" Natsume asked darkly. Jinta was especially skilled with a blade, this he knew from experience, and with his weapon devoid form he was defenceless against his strikes, should he choose to take that route.

"Following my brother comes before following you."

"You don't have a brother." Jinta licked his teeth with a wicked grin.

"Whoops, I guess Takumi wasn't my last name after all. Something more along the lines of Withers would be correct."

"You bastard. Where has he taken her? What does he want with her?" Jinta pressed on the blade gently, a small graze of red appearing along Natsume's throat.

"Who? Oh, you mean your wife?" Natsume's eyes widened and burned darkly. "I guess there were a few things we forgot to mention to you. Well, now that everything's cleared up, I can kill you with no regrets. So long king-," With a horrid crack and the sound of metal hitting bone, Jinta's body went slack and he slowly slipped off of the blade that had impaled him. Blood oozed from his dead corpse and pooled on the ground slowly as Natsume met the eyes of his saviour. Juri.

"M-mother?" With a heaved sighed, Juri inspected the sword with a frown.

"I really shouldn't have dirtied your father's sword." She murmured thoughtfully, pulling a cloth out of her dress pockets to clean off the blood. When Natsume didn't move, she handed him the sword and he took it cautiously. "Take it and go. You can explain yourself later." He kissed her cheek, something he hadn't done in God knows how long, and took off down the hall. He knew with an utmost certainty where Cross would be, but with his leaders and their chiefs most definitely there to support him, Natsume was going to need some support of his own. And he only knew of two people that couldn't be anything more than the best. He ran through the main city and sprinted down Tree Twirl lane, stopping at Kikuo's house where the door was open. He didn't bother knocking and climbed up the ladder.

"Your majesty!?" He turned at the sound of Mrs. Clockwork on the second floor in the kitchen and nodded towards her.

"Please, don't mind me. I need to speak to your son." With a confused look, Mrs. Clockwork watched as her king hurried up the next ladder and out of sight.

"By golly." She murmured to herself and turned back to her cooking. Natsume reached Kikuo and Shiro's bedroom where the two in question along with Artemis sat discussing something that he couldn't have cared less about in the current moment.

"Natsume?" Artemis was the first one to notice the ragged breathing king in the doorway and she stood up in worry, taking him by the shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"I need your help. Both your's and Kikuo's. Please."

"O-of course. Anything your majesty." Kikuo spoke up from the corner of the room. Artemis turned on her fiance and glared at him somewhat.

"Why should I help you after all you've done?" She slowly took her hands off of his shoulders and took a step back.

"Artemis, please!" She registered the genuine look in his eyes and her mouth opened slightly. "I wouldn't ask this of you in any other situation. And you know that! I've changed, I really have. And I need you to help rescue the girl who knocked some sense back into me. Please Artemis, I love her." He was getting frustrated now. He needed this favour. Artemis looked back at Kikuo before she turned to Natsume.

"We can't just fall back into our old pattern Natsume, you know that."

"I know but I'm willing to try. I can never be forgiven for the things I've done to you and the things that only you know about, those sins will remain forever, but I need you to trust me Artemis. Just like you used to."

"And what do I get out of this, huh? Money, a house? What are you willing to bribe me with this time?"

"The truth." He murmured. "The truth about everything."

"I'll do it if you will Artemis. Look at him, he's your best friend, that never changed to you did it?" Kikuo asked her gently and Artemis shook her head slowly.

"I always prayed that you'd find yourself again. And I don't want to screw up this chance to let you redeem yourself," She gave him a tight hug. "I missed you Natsume." He hugged her back and took in a pained breath.

"Will you help me?" He asked quietly as she nodded into the crook of his shoulder.

"Of course I will you idiot."

"Then let's go save her."


	11. CHAPTER 10: THE BOY SHE THOUGHT SHE KNEW

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 10: The Boy She Thought She Knew

Darkness. Unlike her awakening at Artemis's house with her eyes buried in the white of Hood- Kikuo's- fur, as odd as that predicament was for her to wrap her head around, it wasn't bright and her brain didn't jump to the conclusion that she was blind. There was just darkness, as far as the eye could see. She wasn't tied or bound to anything- much like the stories the keeper of the orphanage would have described in these situations-, no, she had simply been placed; not a hair out of place. She felt slightly woozy, an after effect of Cross's spell she supposed. Would letting her have jumped an hour prior really have altered his plan so much? Mikan didn't know. She didn't know anything in her current state and it fazed her so very much that she lost the will to move her mouth and therefore she lost all hope of screaming for Natsume. She was about as useful as a pebble. Her hands set off to work, scurrying around the cold cement floor and walls for what ever she could find; a bobby pin, a key, preferably a light switch. But most of her efforts were in vain; her only finding a small silver pendant that clicked open with little force. Her mind ventured to think that maybe these were motion sensor lights; the kind that came on with a clap or two. So she tried to no avail. Feeling even more useless, Mikan sunk to her knees. She pondered crying but thought that even more useless, so she set her mind to work on a solution to get out of here; or at least to find a way to get the lights on.

"Abracadabra." She tried, feeling rather dumb with herself. "On."

"Lights, camera, action?" A voice offered from the shadows in the far corner of the room.

"Who's there!?" The lights flicked on and a man in a hooded cloak stood at the far end of the room, walking towards her slowly. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Did you miss me, _Mikan_?" His voice was dark and deep and now that she really listened, it occurred to her that she _knew_ this voice.

"I can't believe you," Mikan spat. "All along, you were part of this?"

"Beggars can't be choosers, Mikan dear." He pulled back his hood, the black tattoos covering his face a horrid reminder of her life in the Outworld.

"Why are you doing this Kouta? Were you following me the whole time? You went so low as to fool people for an orphan child just to keep tabs on me!?"

"I see you remember a lot more than your husband accounted for by this time," Kouta murmured thoughtfully as Mikan stood and stepped away from him. "I wonder what the poor boy's up to. Jinta should've taken care of him by now so most probably he's doing, well, _nothing_." Mikan's eyes widened.

"What do you have to do with Cross?"

"Best friends since birth. Much like your husband and that wretched witch friend of his."

"Do not speak ill of my family." Mikan demanded. "And Jinta can't have killed Natsume, he's not dumb enough to just let his life be taken from him. I believe that he will come for me." Kouta snickered and her eyes snapped into a memory.

 _"Mikan?" A small knock sounded at the attic door; a voice Mikan had recently grown used to hearing._

 _"Come in Kouta." She set her Howling Hollows book aside and watched with a patient smile as Kouta entered. "Is something wrong?" She asked as he eyed her story book warily. With a sudden snap of his eyes to hers, he shook his head with a smile._

 _"Not at all," He sat beside her. "You're very close to this book, aren't you Mikan?" She raised her eyebrow but nodded in return._

 _"It's more a part of me than anything."_

 _"Shall I give you some wisdom then?" He didn't give her time to reply. "Every theory is correct unless proved wrong by the weight and righteousness of facts." He stood and held his arm out to her. "Dinner's ready." She blinked but took his arm._

 _"O-okay."_

"You were trying to get me back here the whole time, weren't you?"

"Again, I was just following orders-"

"How pitiful," Mikan snapped. "You have to take orders from your own friend. Think again about his title Kouta; what kind of friend only orders you around? No friend at all I'd like to think."

"And what kind of husband sends you away?" He countered. She bit the inside of her cheek and with barely any will, took a step forward to strike her hand clean across his face. Little did she know, he had back up that burst through the door in that instant.

* * *

"And just who are we saving?" Artemis asked as they started for the stairs on the tree trunk, heading down past Mrs. Clockwork. Natsume didn't have time to answer Artemis as Mrs. Clockwork cocked her eyebrow.

"And you lot are going where?" She asked, drying a carved, wooden square plate.

"Why, excuse my bluntness ma'am, but it is confidential. No harm will come to your son and I rather think we should be off." Mrs. Clockwork had no time to debate her king's words as he, Artemis and Kikuo disappeared down the tree.

"So I shall ask again; who are we saving?" Artemis murmured as she strode next to Natsume on their way to the palace.

"Well, I thought you knew."

"I shouldn't think I'd be asking if I knew, Natsume." They crossed through the main city as bystanders watched in awe and talked in hushed voices at the sight of the king, an earth mage and a witch together, conversing naturally as if they were of the same title and standing in the kingdom.

"I don't think I should tell you. Believe me, I would if I could- I mean I could but I just don't see it fit. You'll know when we get there but I fear you mightn't understand. Just trust me Artemis." With a huff, she twined her fingers through Kikuo's.

"Oh all right then. What are we after here?" Natsume, who had pushed open the doors to the palace, met his mother's eyes across the way.

"Natsume? Artemis? Oh- even Kikuo my dear! How ever did you manage to find your way back here?" But Juri was hushed ever so gently by her son.

"We can't very well explain right now mother," Natsume said hurriedly, starting down towards the armory. "But we'll sit down over a cup of tea and chat about it later. I promise." And with that the three of them made their way into the armory. It was a large square room with shining platinum and deep scarlet armour fitted on mannequins along all four walls. In the middle of the room were three mahogany desks, a simple black lamp on all of them, littered with scraps of metal and gold and brass bits. At the desk to the far right sat a young woman, her orange hair scraped back into a twisted bun, fixed with bobby pins and a pencil or two. She was working on a sword design when she heard Natsume's footfalls. Her head snapped up and a soft smile graced her lips; though her eyes wore only caution. "Henrietta, whistle for the guards would you? And find these two a sword, a dagger, what ever you can find. I'll go and grab my sword from upstairs and I'll be back." He turned on his heel as Henrietta nodded.

"But you have a sword already," Kikuo pointed to his father's sword which hung in its sheath. Natsume shrugged, heading for the doors again.

"Some of us need to win our battles with our own weapons. I will not rescue her with the weight of my father's sword but rather my own. Otherwise I will not see it fit to claim the win," Kikuo nodded slowly as if he only partially understood what Natsume was trying to get across. "Henrietta, I'm counting on you."

"As you wish," She tutted, raising her fingers to her mouth to whistle rather loudly. "Boys! Get in here!" When Natsume returned, sword in hand, he was met with the questioning gaze of not only Henrietta and the guards, but of Artemis and Kikuo as well.

"Your majesty," His second-in-command bowed and Natsume bit his tongue.

"I need your help Tora; will you and your men assist me?"

"We are at your service." He was rather glad Tora hadn't said 'we are at your disposal' for Natsume wasn't in the mood to be treated like the evil king at the moment. Or rather, ever.

"We are to head to the Eastern woods, where the edge of the wood meets the riverbank. There is a house there, a house that Cross and the council by all means have special access to. If you understand where to go, head out at once." Tora bowed his head and marched his men out of the palace, Natsume, Artemis and Kikuo following suit with their weapons shut tightly in their sheaths. Natsume peered over at Artemis who was watching him from the corner of her eye. He somewhat knew why she was staring. "I'll say thank you when she's returned in one piece." He smiled gently and Artemis poked her tongue out.

"I expect no less."

* * *

It was almost like old times as Natsume strode beside Artemis and Kikuo, in search of Mikan. Though it was disastrously different, he reminded himself. He feared to think of what they were doing to her, or rather why they had her at all.

"She'll be fine." Artemis whispered in his ear. If only Artemis really knew who they were saving. He wondered what she'd think. According to her previous words, she had warned Mikan to steer clear of him; what would she say if her ran to her and hugged her, kissing her like his life depended on it? He was wary of the thought and his eyebrows creased.

"Yeah, I hope so." They made their way to the edge of the Eastern forest and- just as he had said- there was the house. It was rather like a big two storey mansion to be precise; big, tall and black. But, as king, Natsume knew his way around the place and his best shot of finding Mikan would be the basement. "Head through the front door; do not kill, just knock them out if they do not surrender. Artemis, Kikuo, you follow me to the basement." With a nod, Natsume watched as his guards stormed in through the front doors and he followed with Artemis and Kikuo behind him, sneaking down the descending cement staircase that lead down to the basement. The door was ajar and inside stood four council members including Cross; Mikan in the far end of the room with her small face bright in anger.

"She- she hit me!" He heard Kouta snarl to Cross.

"That won't do now Mikan. I told you to behave." Artemis muffled a gasp behind him.

"We were here to save _Mikan!?_ But I thought she was safely up in your attic Kikuo!"

"Did I fail to mention that Natsume took her?" Kikuo scratched the back of his head in apology. "Sorry dear." He nodded. Natsume, barely caring what Artemis was thinking about this situation, pushed the door open loudly, letting it slam against the concrete wall. Mikan's eyes met his and tears sprung to her chocolate orbs. She wiped at her eyes hastily as Natsume drew his sword.

"Sorry I'm late," He snapped, Cross's face shocked that he was still alive and breathing. He heard his guards loud footsteps clapping against the cement behind him. "Take them." Natsume commanded, he, Artemis and Kikuo moving aside to let the guards in. Cross blinked and seized Mikan in a rush.

"Touch me and she dies." He held his dagger to her throat and Mikan made a small, barely noticable nod in Artemis's direction. Natsume understood and nudged the pocket that held Artemis's wand. Their many years of friendship was paying of as Artemis mumbled an incantation under her breath and Cross became paralysed. He tried to move his lips but his efforts were in vain as they stayed glued shut. His nostrils flared.

"Now, I'm not planning any blood shed, courtesy of Mikan," Natsume nodded in her direction. "But I have a nice prison cell for each and every one of you." He clicked his fingers and every council member in the house disappeared. Natsume breathed a sigh and met Mikan's eyes. He barely had to open his mouth before she came running, her arms encircling him, her face pressed into his chest. He stroked his fingers through her hair and rested his forehead against the crown of her head. "I'm sorry." He murmured weakly. She shook her head in protest.

"You did everything you could," She gave a little sniffle. "I knew you'd come."

"So sorry to interrupt," Artemis cleared her throat, her hand on her hip. All the guards had already excused themselves from the scene. She waved her hand at Natsume and Mikan, waiting for them to explain. "Any reason for the loving vibes I'm getting?" Mikan looked up at Natsume worriedly, not sure of how she should explain.

"It's a long story," Said Natsume. "Let's get back to the palace first."

* * *

Juri had been invited, Mikan noticed, which made her all the more wary of what they were meant to say. How do you explain that you're really the king's wife and that they'd all know soon enough? Mikan shuffled closer to Natsume, at a loss for words. But he seemed to be calm enough. So he started to explain.

"A hundred years ago-," He began; and the whole story tumbled out. The three were a rather good audience, patient and never intrusive. Natsume flowed through the whole story and then everyone looked at Mikan as she hadn't said a peep.

"It's true," She said quietly, not sure if they wanted her opinion or her confirmation on the story. She fished for her wedding ring on the small silver chain and brought Natsume's wedding ring finger up to it; as if to prove it all the more. "We really are married."

"What a peculiar situation," Juri hummed. "I did feel like I knew you when I saw you this morning. I'm willing to bet that this was why."

"I had that feeling too," Artemis confessed, Kikuo nodding in agreement beside her.

"Me three." Mikan looked to Natsume and whispered something into his ear. He nodded and they rose to their feet.

"I'm afraid that's really all we know how to explain." Natsume said gently.

"And I'm afraid I need some sleep. Being held hostage is an awfully draining event." Mikan smiled light heartedly, nodding to each of them in turn.

"We understand," Juri looked over to Artemis and Kikuo. "Don't we dears?" Natsume had a feeling that she and her motherly instincts _really_ knew why they were leaving. Artemis and Kikuo just nodded.

"Will we see you tomorrow?" Mikan asked hopefully. Artemis gave her a small smile and stood to hug her.

"Of course. You get some rest. I'm glad your safe Mikan." When Natsume and Mikan reached his room, Mikan flopped down on the bed as Natsume closed the door for some privacy.

"Kouta said they had killed you." She breathed as Natsume laid down beside her, his head hitting the pillows, his eyes trained on the roof of his four poster bed.

"Did you really believe that?" He murmured quietly.

"Not for a second," She said and then added hastily. "At least I didn't want to." He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Her head fell in the crook of his neck, her body relaxing in his warmth.

"I can't lose you again Mikan," Natsume said in a hushed tone. "I can't wait until everyone else can remember that too."

"Mmm," She murmured in agreement. "I remember everything now; crystal clear."

"Everything?" He sounded a little surprised.

"Every second." She angled his face towards hers and pressed a longing kiss to his jaw. "And I never want to forget any of it again." He swept her hair back behind her ear.

"I won't let you." He parted her lips with his.

* * *

In the following week and a half, Mikan was well protected by Natsume and the kingdom and finally the day was to come. Tomorrow they'd know. For tomorrow was her 250th birthday.

* * *

 _Hi guys! I am so sorry that this took forever! I had a major writer's block on this story and I have only just managed to push through it. Also, my uncle had to yet again fix my laptop so I had to wait for that too. Excuses, excuses, I know. Anyway, enjoy and I will start the next chapter straight away. Though I regret to inform you that I can probably only push out another couple chapters on this and maybe an epilogue. But I'll start a mini series of one-shots about their daily life when I'm finished this story so don't worry, their lives will continue on in one way or another. Thanks so much for reading you guys and I'll see you again all very soon for Mikan's birthday!_

 _Xx SweetsPrincess-Sama_


	12. CHAPTER 11:THEN THE KINGDOM WAS RESTORED

Restarting Our Love

Chapter 11: And Then The Kingdom Was Restored

Mikan awoke with a start, shaking Natsume out of his sleep. He stirred groggily and gave a little moan of protest.

"Do you think everyone will have remembered by now?" She asked, half scared, half excited. He sat up, scratching the back of his head, and pulled her back down for a cuddle.

"Don't ask such serious things so early in the morning Mikan." He muttered through his sleepy state. Mikan pushed against his chest but he made no attempt to let her go. "Give it 'till my mother bursts through the door. Then they'll have remembered." Mikan sunk into his arms. She didn't have to wait long for her answer as Juri entered the room, beaming brightly. Mikan struggled in his grasp again.

"Oh please tell me you remember Juri," Mikan huffed and gave up her useless attempts to be set free of his arms.

"Everything. Natsume, I think you have a little explaining to do as well." Natsume groaned and Juri raised an eyebrow. "Not to me, I understand the circumstances but have you thought about what the town will think? What about what Lillian and Shou will think, hmm?" Natsume gave in and sat up again, taking his arms away from Mikan's waist so that she could sit up. Juri peered at the town from the balcony. Everyone had gathered, their voices rising up to the open balcony doors.

"Just let us get dressed first mother; fancy me walking out in my pajamas." Mikan gave a giggle at this and both mother and son watched her.

"Please do tell them we'll explain momentarily," She smiled, feeling as though her life was complete again. Juri nodded and turned to yell out at the crowd.

"You will get your answers very shortly. Be patient please." And with this, she left the room, leaving Natsume and Mikan to get dressed. Once they looked fairly decent, they walked onto the balcony hand in hand and looked down at the folk of Howling Hollows. She caught her mother and brother looking up at her in what looked like awe and concern, but not anger she realized. And so began the whole explaining fiasco again.

"Citizens of Holwling Hollows, I believe you may have gained some memories a short while ago. Memories that my wife and I need to clear up and explain," He squeezed her hand gently. "You see, what you lost was every memory of my wife when we decided to cast a spell a hundred years back. Even her own family forgot she ever existed," Lillian shifted uncomfortably at this but listened nonetheless. Natsume gestured for Mikan to do her share of the explanation.

"As you may or may not know, I was very frail back then and the only way to cure my frail figure was for me to be reborn again in the Outworld. And so that was what we did. So many sacrifices were made for my well being and I have to apologise to you all for riding you of your memories of me. But you must understand that it was the only choice we had."

"Why is it that we remember today?" Someone yelled up from the crowd.

"Because today," Natsume began. "Is Mikan's 250th birthday." A few cheers arose at this and Mikan peered down at her brother. He had grown up without her but he was still the same sneaky little boy she'd left behind; she could tell from a glance.

"I hope that, from here on out, we can all return to our normal lives and value one another like our lives depend on it," Mikan smiled gently down at the crowd. "And may I please request that my mother and little brother be let into the palace immediately." The townspeople whispered quietly amongst themselves for a moment before, seemingly happy with their answers, they disappeared back to their houses and went about their lives as normal. Their princess was back, that was all they cared about. Shou was in their room in a flash, his arms going around Mikan the moment he was close enough. He cradled her close and she kissed his forehead. "You've grown so much Shou," She whispered through her tears as her mother found her way into the room and Natsume stepped back to give them some space as Lillian hugged her daughter like her life depended on it. "Oh mother." Mikan sobbed quietly.

"Look at you my darling," Lillian held her back at an arms length. She looked exactly the same as she had when she had left but different all together. Mature. "I should very well be angry at you for not telling me about this when you decided but- I'm just glad you're back home and safe."

"I think subconsciously, I really _really_ missed you sis," Shou smiled through the few tears pricking in his eyes and Mikan ruffled his hair.

"I know Shou, I did too," She watched him lovingly. "By golly though, when did you learn such big words?" This made Lillian laugh somewhat and she turned to Natsume.

"I should probably be hanging you right about now," Lillian glanced quickly at her daughter who raised her eyebrows in a mix of alarm and protest. "But you kept her safe, yes?" Natsume nodded.

"As much as I possibly could ma'am," Lillian shook her head with a long release of breath.

"You children are worth fighting for I suppose. Just don't you ever do anything like that again without my permission, you hear me?" Both Natsume and Mikan nodded hurriedly, sharing a secret smile with each other. "So my little girl is turning two-hundred and fifty, huh? Come on then, you live in a bloody palace; someone tell me there's a banquet downstairs." Natsume chuckled.

"Whatever you wish ma'am."

"And you, how many times must I tell you? Call me Lillian; ma'am is just not the term a son-in-law should be using by this stage."

"Then, whatever you wish, _Lillian_."

"That's more like it."

* * *

There was in fact a banquet being prepared downstairs as Natsume led his wife by the hand down the staircase and into the large dining hall. Mikan's mouth fell in somewhat of an 'o' shape and she peered around the room. The hall was big enough for everyone in the town to fit into but, as they had gone back to their houses, there stood only Juri, the guards, Artemis, Kikuo, Shiro, Mrs. Clockwork, Leo and Henrietta. Her eyes met with Artemis's and she gently let go of Natsume and swept her into a hug.

"I knew you'd find your way back here," Artemis murmured into her hair, hugging the younger girl close to her.

"And fancy that I fell right through your roof," Mikan giggled, holding Artemis at an arms length. "Thank you." She smiled and moved to hug the next person who just so happened to be Kikuo. "And you Kikuo, I don't think I ever thanked you for staying with me all those years." He breathed a laugh into her shoulder.

"You needn't have, Mikan. It was worth it. And besides, returning me here is more than I could have ever asked for." He sent a grin towards Artemis. "So really, _I_ should be thanking _you_." Mikan hugged everyone in the room, including every guard, and came to a stop in front of Juri. She beamed quietly.

"Mother," She watched patiently as Juri held her arms out.

"Come here dear," And that was all she needed to throw her arms around the older woman and hold her close. She held herself there for a minute before pulling back slowly as Natsume tapped her shoulder.

"May I cut in?" He asked with a crooked smile and she turned, the whole hall watching as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him right there and then. Nobody protested or blushed or made fun of them like they used to for being affectionate; hell, even Shou just stood there with a smile for his sister, never once pretending to gag to annoy her. She sunk into his embrace and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

"I need to thank you most of all," Natsume hadn't really expected that, his eyes widening. "For always fighting for me and staying strong."

"But my father-," He whispered. Mikan hushed him and shook her head into his shoulder.

"We'll get through it together," She hummed quietly. "Because no matter what you do or have done, you are never going to lose me." The hall was still silent and Shou pulled something out of his pocket; a small party popper that he'd been carrying around for God knows why. As he'd done so long ago, he broke the silence and Mikan nearly jumped sky high at the bang and the sneaky smile on her brother's face. Lillian looked at him disapprovingly.

"What? I'm hungry." Mikan let out a giggle and peered over Natsume's shoulder at Shou, mouthing 'thank you' for breaking the settled silence. Lillian whacked his arm and shook her head, muttering something about children under her breath. Juri took this opportunity to announce the feast.

"What are we waiting for then? Let the banquet begin!" A lot of hungry cheers arose at this and Mikan smiled, pressing her forehead against her husband's.

"Let's eat." She grinned.

* * *

All was well in Howling Hollows; their princess was back, those who had betrayed the kingdom had been imprisoned for the rest of their time, and everyone was happy. Natsume, in particular, was _very_ happy. After all, he had regained his wife, his friendships, his mother. He had changed for the better. And it was all thanks to the bubbly brunette running towards him now, three weeks after the feast.

"Hi honey. How did your lessons go?" He asked as she threw her arms around his neck and pressed a finger to his lips.

"Oh never mind my lessons, I have something I need to tell you," He watched her and raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to elaborate. "Guess who's going to be a father." She grinned.

Oh, he was certainly very _very_ happy she was back.

* * *

 _Aaaaand cue the end of Restarting Our Love! Well, there is an epilogue coming so stay tuned for that! Oh my God you guys! I've practically finished my first real chapter fanfiction! And I could not be happier! I love this story so much and I hope you guys do too. Forgive me for making it short, but I feel this is the right size for what I wanted. So, stay tuned for the epilogue and I'll see you guys again very soon. Thanks for reading!_

 _Xx SweetsPrincess-Sama_


	13. EPILOGUE

Restarting Our Love

Epilogue: 10 Years After

A little brunette head popped up at the foot of the bed and then another, the second one's eyes barely taller than the bed frame itself as she sat on her knees. The early morning sunlight was flooding through the closed balcony doors and the older child looked at his little sister as she peered up at him with big red eyes.

"I want mama," She demanded quietly as the boy hushed her and pointed towards their sleeping parents. He lifted her up and she tried to surpress her giggles at her brother's fingers on her sides as he prepared to throw her into the middle of the bed.

"Ready," He whispered.

"Steady!" She giggled and he let go of his six year old sister and watched as she landed between Mikan and Natsume who both stirred at the constant giggles erupting from the small child's mouth. Mikan's eyes fluttered open and she smiled at the sight of her daughter hiding behind her own hands, her son soon joining the three of them on the bed and tackling his still sleeping father.

"G'morning mama," The young girl clung to her mother with an energetic smile.

"Good morning Haru," Mikan brushed Haru's hair back behind her ear as her husband grunted beside her, tickling their mischievous son until he stopped his attacks on Natsume.

"Why do you get the civil child?" He teased. "I get the Kyou devil."

"Muuuum! Tell dad I'm not a devil!" Kyou squirmed in his father's tight grasp as Haru began laughing.

"Natsume-,"

"Get him daddy!" She squealed as Mikan pulled her out of the way of a falling Kyou, his head resting in Mikan's lap, his lips upturned. She peered over at Natsume and grinned.

"Morning." He grinned back. She shook her head with a laugh and pressed a kiss to his jaw as Kyou groaned and complained about public affection in front of young children.

"Morning," She rolled her eyes at Kyou as he began kicking at his father's legs and she kissed Natsume fully on the lips as Kyou yelled.

"My poor eyes!" Releasing her grip on Haru, the two swapped children and Mikan tackled Kyou into her embrace, kissing his cheek.

"You keep complaining about me and your father, mister, and I'll make you marry Rosemary." He stopped his squirming, a look of horror on his face.

"Please spare me! You can kiss all you want just don't marry me off to that horrid child!" Mikan giggled and brought Kyou to lie between her and Haru, her arm wrapping around Natsume's waist as they looked down at their children.

"We've got you now," Natsume pretended to be a monster, growling in Haru's ear and she squealed, pushing her hands against his face to shut him up. A knock sounded at the open door and Juri appeared, standing in her long sun dress, her black hair long and loose at her ankles.

"Gran'ma!" Haru gave a toothy smile in the direction of Juri as she smiled.

"Breakfast is ready." Juri announced, watching with a breezy smile as Natsume and Mikan conversed between themselves.

"I'll take the devil," Natsume declared, hopping out of the bed and dragging Kyou off by his ankles as Kyou kicked in protest.

"I'll walk myself dad! And I'm not a devil! Tell him grandma!" Juri raised her eyebrow at Mikan and she laughed heartily and picked up Haru.

"Guess I've got the angel then. We'll meet you downstairs in ten, Juri." Natsume reappeared at the door.

"Make that fifteen minutes." And with that he disappeared down the hallway to Kyou's room.

"I'll see you then." Juri made her way back downstairs and Mikan hoisted Haru further up on her hip, kissing her forehead as they entered her room, setting her down on the soft carpet.

"What would you like to wear today sweetie?" Haru ran to her closet and pulled out a light yellow dress.

"This!" She smiled and Mikan helped her put it on. She didn't make a fuss; unlike her brother in the other room.

"I don't want to wear this dad, I want my favourite blue top!" Natsume sighed.

"Kyou, that's in the wash and you know it. Stop being difficult and just wear the green one."

"Fine, I want a black top then." Kyou grumbled and Natsume fished around in his drawers for his black tee-shirt which had been folded at the bottom of the pile.

"Here," He handed the tee-shirt to Kyou which he struggled over his head and then Natsume handed him a pair of cream three quarter pants.

"I want the blue ones." Kyou huffed and with a roll of his eyes, Natsume began his search again. Mikan popped her head around the door frame.

"What's wrong with the cream ones Kyou?" She asked. She had already dressed Haru and herself. She wore a white sun dress and her chocolate waves had been brushed out nicely, flowing down her shoulders and back.

"I just don't want those ones." Kyou replied as Natsume finally found the blue three quarter pants and handed them to his son.

"Put these on, I'm going to get dressed."

"We'll meet you down in the dining hall. Come along Haru." Mikan led Haru down the long staircase that led downstairs and then followed the hallway down to the dining hall where Juri was sat at the head of the table, smiling up at them. Mikan settled Haru down into a seat on Juri's right and then sat down herself as she heard Kyou's footfalls on the staircase. He and Natsume joined the three not long after and they started their breakfast.

* * *

Natsume took Mikan's hand as they sat on the grass in the back gardens of the palace, basking in the sun and watching their children chase each other around.

"We did well raising them, don't you think?" He murmured, kissing her bare shoulder. Mikan smiled up at him.

"Absolutely," She murmured. "Hey Natsume?"

"Hmm?"

"What happens when they fall in love?" Natsume pondered this question for a while before smiling against her skin.

"We let them live."

"We let them choose their own crazy adventure, just like we did."

"Exactly."

"I wonder what that will be like." She watched as Kyou let Haru tackle him to the ground.

"Only time will tell my love." He brought his hand up to cup her cheek, turning her attention to his eyes. "That's just the way it is in Howling Hollows."

"Our home." He pressed his lips to hers.

"Forever."

* * *

 _It's over! Nooo, I don't want it to be over! I cannot wait to start the mini series though; it's going to be so much fun and I hope you guys stick around for the ride! Leave some comments about what you'd like to see in the one-shot series and I'll do my best to make a one-shot for each of your ideas! So, thanks are in order here. Thank you to each and every reader, reviewer and fan, I couldn't have done it without you! And I'll see you all again very soon._

 _Xx SweetsPrincess-Sama_


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